


Fiend

by calhale



Series: The Monstrocity Chronicles [1]
Category: Bandom, Tokio Hotel
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Dark, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Alternate Universe - Vampire, M/M, Twincest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-25
Updated: 2012-11-25
Packaged: 2017-11-19 12:43:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 48,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/573383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calhale/pseuds/calhale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <img/>
</p><p> </p><p>Set in a world that has been torn apart by a biological war against blood sucking fiends, Tom is traveling to New York City a.k.a. The City in search of the fiend that killed his best friend as a child. Having trained all his life for the moment where he will destroy the man who haunts his nightmares, Tom may not be able to handle the truth of finding out who the man actually is.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story contains graphic violence and portrays homosexual relations between men. I do NOT own Tokio Hotel and or any of the musicians or persons associated with the band. This is for non-profit and for entertainment purposes only. This story is inspired by the artwork of Mearii on Deviant Art entitled The Fame Monster and But What Are You Fighting For. I also do not own Griff Ball. It took me so long to finish this but I'm happy with it. 
> 
> This story was inspired by a contest over 2 years ago to write a story based on the work of the amazing and incredible :iconmearii: I heart her soooooooo much.
> 
> the pictures I chose were:
> 
> [The Fame Monster](http://mearii.deviantart.com/art/the-fame-monster-154998895)  
> and  
> [But What Are We Fighting For](http://mearii.deviantart.com/art/but-what-are-you-fighting-for-138604982)
> 
> check them out!
> 
>  
> 
> long story short I ended up winning and Mearii at Deviantart.com made me the most awesome photomanip ever which i wish i could share but it is in storage!!!!!
> 
> I have really loved this story sooo much and over the past year have cherished it. Hope you guys like the ending.
> 
>  

Survival; the dictionary defines this word as meaning the act or process of surviving or the fact that one has survived. In this world, survival was the only thing that mattered. War had sent the world into a downward spiral back in time. Gleaming skyscrapers had fallen; homes and office buildings were in ruins; and most cities were infected with thousands of blood sucking fiends. That’s what the government had called them; fiends. The fiends had a disease called Hemoglobin Degeneration Disorder, or HDD; and it turned them into monsters who need to drink blood to survive. They were too strong, too fast, too quick to heal, and too hard to kill for the government to tolerate. And so, they were hunted down and exterminated. But the fiends wouldn’t just lay down and die. And so, the great war started and somehow, it seemed that the humans were the one’s that were losing.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom hiked over the piles of debris that littered the bridge into Owego, New York. He hated bridges, even if it was the middle of the day. They were bottle necks and perfect for ambushes by fiends. But right other side of the river was a Rite Aid and hopefully he would be able to find some supplies. The town was deserted. It had been one of the first towns to evacuate before they dropped the bio-bomb on The City. The wind picked up as Tom neared the end of the bridge and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up on end. Tom held his rifle at ready and flicked the safety off as he walked slowly in the direction his GPS said the drug store was in.

The store was a block from the bridge and easy to spot. Tom broke the sliding glass door when it didn’t open and cautiously walked inside. The store seemed to be relatively untouched surprisingly and Tom automatically went toward the medical supply aisle as well as the pharmacy. They were both well stocked and Tom smiled happily at the find. “Sweet, I knew this was a good idea.” Tom chuckled to himself as he began to stuff medication bottles and other medical supplies into his backpack.

After cleaning out the pharmacy, Tom wandered the aisles in search of protein bars and other things he might need. As he meandered through the selections he came upon a rack of condoms. Tom stopped to contemplate, “I am here looking for things to help with protection against infection… and you never want to be unprepared. Maybe just a couple.” Tom smirked as he unzipped his pack again and started emptying boxes of rubbers into one of the pockets to conserve space.

Unfortunately while he went to work with the condoms, Tom did not hear the quiet foot steps that were coming up behind him and he didn’t feel the hot rank breath on the back of his neck until he was being slammed into the metal aisle next to him and his rifle went skittering across the floor. Tom was in shock, looking down at him was a fiend. But this fiend was one of the pretty ones that tried to lure you into dark alleyways with promises of a good time. No, this one looked like it’s flesh was flaking off and it’s fangs had gone black and looked like they were rotting. The entire thing looked like it was rotting.

“Fuck!” Tom groaned and reached behind him for something he could use as a weapon. The fiend began to slunk towards Tom, his eyes locked onto into Tom’s neck and it’s foul breath making Tom gag. The fiend paused a few inches from Tom’s face and seemed to contemplate it’s capture; it‘s blacked out eyes looking him up and down; sticky black tinted drool sliding down it’s chin and landing on Tom’s shoulder with a sickening noise. In Tom’s mind, this was it. He had gotten so close to The City and only to be killed off by a decomposing blood sucker a few days hike from his destination.

But it appeared that luck was on Tom’s side because just as the monster was about to move closer a gun went off somewhere down the aisle and hot blood splattered across Tom’s middle. The fiend and Tom looked down at the fiend’s middle to find a metal claw lodged into it’s chest with a metal wire coming out it’s back.

The fiend screamed a gruesome and wet noise as the rope began to retract and it was pulled off of Tom. Tom watched as the monster was pulled away toward two men with machetes and a gallon of gasoline. The fiend clawed at the slick linoleum floor as it was dragged away and Tom look on in fascination as the men began to hack apart the beast accompanying the grotesque episode with it’s horrendous screaming. After they finally beheaded the thing, they dumped the gasoline on it and lit it on fire. The men were laughing behind gas masks like the burning corpse was the funniest thing in the world.

Tom was shook out of his observations by two hands grabbing his large tee shirt and ripping it down the center and cutting the sleeves so the shirt could be pulled away from Tom’s body and thrown onto flames. Tom hadn’t noticed the third man before and at first he had thought that he was looking at a girl. But everything was suddenly moving very fast and Tom could hardly put up any protest as his shirt was removed and disposed of.

Where the two who had killed the fiend were rather average and muscular looking, this third man was very different. He was all sharp angels and long lines. Tall and thin; the young man had a thick mane of shoulder length black hair with white streaks and his eyes were smudged with dark shadow that matched the tattooed black swipes at the ridge of his left cheek bone and the dark lines that descended from both his ruby colored eyes. His mouth and nose were covered by a black and red gas mask, but Tom could tell by looking into this young man’s eyes that the guy was smirking at him. “Better go get yourself a new shirt while we clean up.” The young man said with a wink. “The shirts are one row over.”

Tom was still in shock at the fact that in a matter of seconds so much had happened that he simply got up and went in search of clothing. His mind kept replaying what had happened and what was still going on as he sifted through the selection oh cheap clothing before choosing a rather large black tee shirt with some sort of white writing on it and a black zip up hoodie.

He was still in his daze when a gloved hand tugged at one of his cornrows. “Wha…what?” Tom jumped slightly and found the man that had ripped his shirt off looking at his quizzically.

“Did you get any in your mouth?” The man asked behind his mask.

“Did I get any of what in my mouth?” Tom asked.

“Blood. Did you get any blood in your mouth when we shot him?” The man reiterated.

Tom shook his head, “Nope, not that I can tell”

The youth looked at him suspiciously, “Not even one tiny drop?”

“NO! God, I didn’t get any fucking blood in my mouth!” Tom retorted defensively.

“Fine, I believe you.” The young man said as he removed a gun from it’s ready position at Tom’s waist. Tom hadn’t even noticed the gun on him.

“What the fuck was the gun for?” Tom spat in confusion.

The man shrugged and looked the hand gun over. “Just in case you got infected. We’d have to kill you too if you were. That’s just how it goes. Also you could have been faking the whole dumb kid thing and actually been part of an ambush. Oh and here‘s your gun.” The young man said as held Tom’s automatic out for him. “You might want to consider actually using the shoulder strap next time.”

Tom couldn’t say anything and hung his head. It had been a rookie mistake and one he hadn’t made in three years. Tom tongued at his lip ring nervously as he slung his rifle over his shoulder so it rested on his back comfortably and the man watching him swallowed softly as a shiver went down his back.

“Umm, my name’s Bill.” Bill said as he unsnapped his gas mask and held out his hand for Tom.

Tom eyed Bill’s hand for a moment. Bill’s fingers were long and pale and half covered by mismatched fingerless gloves and his long nails were painted black. “It’s not going to bite you.” Bill teased after a moment of Tom’s staring.

“Sorry,” Tom apologized and took Bill’s hand into his own. “I’m Tom. Tom Trumper.”

“I know.” Bill said matter-a-factly with a smile. Tom arched an eye brow in curiosity. Bill chuckled softly as he explained, “Don’t worry. We went through a village a little ways back that said you had relieved them of a rouge fiend. They said you were heading toward The City. They also said that you were crazy for going toward the heaviest fiend infestation known to man. But, then again, we just so happened to be heading that way too, so we thought we’d give you hand.”

Tom was about to reject the offer but was cut off by a small explosion from the back of the store.

“What the fuck was that?” Tom yelled, crouching and covering his head with his arms.

Bill just smiled happily, “Oh good, they found it.” Bill looked down at Tom and almost laughed, “Don’t worry, Georg and Gustav are just grabbing some stuff from the pharmacy that we need.”

Tom slowly stood back up, “Don’t bother, I already cleaned them out of pain killers and anti-biotic. Why the hell do they have to blow it up?”

Bill took a step closer to Tom and placed a hand on Tom’s shoulder. This time it was Tom who had to fight the shiver that shot down his spine. Bill leaned into Tom and whispered into his ear, “What we’re looking for isn’t gonna be out on a shelve. What we’re looking for is usually hidden in a high security safe. And we’re just lucky enough that all Rite-Aids and Walgreens seem to have them.” Bill licked his lips and took in a deep breath next to Tom’s throat; his eyes closing when the rush of Tom’s scent touched his nose. Tom’s eyelids were working on their own and as Bill whispered to him they shut; one of his hands hesitantly reaching forward to brush against Bill’s hip where a bit of skin was visible. Slowly Bill pulled away with a smirk. “So you wanna have some company while you travel to the big bad City or should we just hike half a mile behind you in case you get yourself in trouble again?”

Tom looked into Bill’s blood red eyes and played with his lip ring as he contemplated what he was being offered. Coming to the conclusion that the three seemed at be able to handle themselves pretty damn well and that as much as he hated to admit it, Bill was pretty hot for a guy; Tom nodded, “Sure, why not.”

Bill smiled and turned to walk toward the pharmacy. “Good, so lets see what the boys have gotten themselves into and then head out.” Tom smiled softly and followed close behind, avoiding at all cost letting his gaze drop down to watch Bill’s ass.

They met Georg and Gustav by the chard counter of the Pharmacy just as they were finishing packing up whatever they had found. “So boys did we get what we needed?” Bill asked hopefully.

“Yep, lots of it. It’s a good three months supply.” Georg responded with a smile.

“Awesome! Well it looks like we’re gonna head toward The City with Tom. So let’s head out toward that 84 Lumber. There’s an ammunitions warehouse up the river and we’ll stock up there too.” Bill explained as they all packed up and headed out.  
______________________________________________________________________________

“So, what are you looking for that would be in a safe, in a pharmacy?” Tom asked after a few hours of walking along highway 17 heading east. Georg and Gustav were walking ahead of them and talking about something called Grif Ball.

Bill seemed to tense up for a split second before shrugging it off. “Just some really expensive drugs. People would pay a lot of money to get their hands on it.”

“So what’s it do?” Tom questioned.

“It keeps people… like me sane.” Bill answered but was hesitant to say anything more. “So, why are you heading toward The City? The government dropped a bio-bomb on it for a reason you know. It’s pretty much the fiend’s head quarters.”

Tom could tell that the meds were a touchy subject and let it drop to answer Bill. “I have to find someone; a fiend. He killed my best friend. Drank him dry and left his body in our old tree house. I looked the guy up on the internet. Apparently he was like this rich guy’s son. Really powerful; and last anybody’s heard he was living in this like ruined palace in The City. The guy’s a spoiled brat from what I’ve heard and everybody’s heard of him in someway or another. Problem is, he’s pretty much fallen off the grid for the past few years. But I bet New York City is the best place to look. ”

“What’s his name?” Bill asked hesitantly

“William Kaulitz” Tom answered, the name rolling off his tongue like it was something disgusting. Bill froze for a second before chuckling uncomfortably. “What is it?” Tom asked at the noise.

“Oh nothing, How did you find out what his name was?” Bill asked and bit his lower lip anxiously.

“He told me himself.” Tom replied with a dark tint of conviction in his voice, “He told me to come and kill him when I was strong enough. And when I get to The City, I’m gonna do just that.”

“Hmm, that’s funny, we were headed there to kill him too.” Bill exhaled. Tom was about to ask more but Bill began to yell a head at George and Gustav, “Hey, guys, let’s make camp here. We’ll find a car tomorrow. I don’t want to walk the whole way. My feet hurt.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill sat and stared into the fire; his head lost somewhere between thought and memory. Flashing images of the small youth in his arms; his pulse so loud in his ears as his body took control and his mouth latched onto the boys neck. His blood had been sweet; full of life and warmth and Bill recalled every moment that the sanity saving liquid ran past his thirsty lips.

Bill wrapped his arms around himself and closed his eyes as he remembered waking up from devouring the boy, finding his limp cold body in his embrace. A brutal shiver of regret and self-loathing ran though him at the memory of the cruel pride he had felt as he stashed the boy’s body in the tree house. He had laughed as he looked down on the corpse as it went into rigor. He had been so pleased with himself.

But he could not stay long and watch his prey fall further into death. A boy had seen him, a child a few years younger then the boy he had drained. The boy had dark blond hair that strayed in front of his caramel brown eyes and Bill remembered the sun shining off the boys hair like stars as he trembled in fear and anger. Bill could see the hatred burning within the boy and knew the aching need to kill that was growing in him.

Bill had smiled then, teasing the youth and letting him see the blood that stained his lips red. “When you’re strong enough to kill me, come looking for William Kaulitz. I look forward to meeting you again.”

It had been a joke; just a stupid joke. But he knew now that the child had been Tom. He had looked different then. He still had money then. He was still living off his Dad’s fortune and had used most of it on the most avant-garde fashions and hair. He had primped himself with fashionable make up and he had worn a mask when he hunted, to prevent the media from catching wind of his contraction of HDD. That had been his father’s only rule at the time. No one must ever find out. He’d broken that rule that day. It was no wonder that Tom did not recognize him.

Bill opened his eyes to look at himself. His clothes were in ruins; splattered with dirt and water and blood. His fingernail polish was chipping and his cuticles were bleeding. He could feel the grime of the world sticking to every inch of visible skin and he almost gagged when he thought about the last time he had actually washed his hair instead of just spraying it with more hair spray to keep it from falling hopelessly flat. He was barely a remnant of the man he had once been all those years ago.

Luckily he did not have to contemplate his disheveled state much longer when Tom took a seat next to him and bumped his shoulder against Bill’s almost playfully. “Something on your mind?”

Bill gave Tom and sad smile and nodded, “You could say that.”

“Thinking about William?” Tom guessed.

“How’s you know?” Bill exhaled in exhaustion

“I think about him a lot too. I used to have these dreams about him. I mean, it was years ago when I met him. I think I was 6. But he looked like this fallen angel. His hair was done up in a faux hawk and his skin was so white. His lips though, were haunting. They were painted red with my friend blood and that was all I really saw. He wore a mask too. Used to dream about taking that mask off. Sometimes I’d rip it off quickly, and other times I would reach up and slowly place my hand on his cheek. And I would pull it away from his face so slow it was painful.”

“Did you ever get a good look at his face?” Bill pushed, suddenly very worried what would happen if Tom ever recognized him.

Tom tongued at his lip ring and shrugged, “Nah, it was always a different face but he was always beautiful. I guess I just knew he’d have to be beautiful.”

Bill smirked at the compliment Tom had unknowingly given him. He would have been quiet pleased with himself had the subject matter been different, “Well, you were right about that one. He is… attractive.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re after him too. What’s up with that? Do you know him?” Tom asked in fascination.

“Yeah, I know him. Georg and Gustav too. William was… one of our friend’s growing up. He was this spoiled rich kid that thought he knew everything and could get whatever he wanted. And sadly, he could most of the time. Looking back he was really a jerk. He would order Georg and Gustav around and make them do his homework while he did something else. But we all loved William, whether we wanted to or not because he was always the life of the party and the center of attention no matter where we went.” Bill played with his tongue ring spitefully as he recalled his snobbish upbringing.

“Sound’s like he was always an asshole; even before he was a fiend. So what happened, how did he become a fiend? Why do you want to kill him?” Tom prodded.

Bill forced a laugh at the asshole remark. “Well, umm, he was always trying to show off and one night he got it into his head that he would kill a fiend. It was stupid, he was young and thought way too highly of his remedial fighting skills. But he went looking for trouble anyways. In the end he ended up being the one hunted instead of the one doing the hunting.”

Bill closed his eyes when the fiend’s face shot across his vision. She had been young and sweet looking, the only sign of her true nature was the blood that was smear across he lips and cheeks. She was drunk off blood; glutted with it; devouring every drop she could get her greedy hands on. Bill had thought he was going to die when she attached herself to his neck. But somehow he had been able to think and the faint idea to bite the monster back seemed the only way to make it out of this thing alive. He had been right.

“Sometimes, I think he would have been better off if he had just let her kill him.” Bill continued, “As for why I wanna kill him. I woke up one morning and realized that William couldn’t continue being who he was. He’d killed so many people, innocent people. And I couldn’t deal with it anymore. So I’ve been trying to kill him ever since. But it’s easier said then done.”

Tom and Bill sat together and watched the fire in silence. There was an awful knot of guilt in Bill’s stomach and the overwhelming urge to tell Tom who he was, was threatening to overtake him.

Bill turned to look at Tom. Tom seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, his caramel eyes gazing into the flames like they held some answers to the world, and Bill took the time to give Tom a good once over.

The boy had grown up well. He had a long neck that lead up to sharp cheek bones and a set of lips that were thin on top and full and pouty on the bottom; pierced on the left side with a solitary ring of silver. And Bill wished Tom’s obnoxiously large Tee-shirt didn’t hide so much of the body behind it. He was sure that Tom had spent the last fourteen years carefully training himself into peak condition. All because of an off-handed comment he had made to a child.

But Bill’s pondering were halted once again by the gut-wrenching feeling that he should tell Tom the truth, that he should save the boy the trip into The City where it seemed the gates of hell were gapping open.

Bill braced himself and opened his mouth to tell Tom everything when Tom turned to him and started to speak, “Hey, it looks like the muscle duo want to talk to you. I have to go put up my tent.” Tom got up and went on his way toward his gear before Bill could even make a complaint.

“Fuck.” Bill groaned and hit the soft dirt with his fist after Tom was out of hearing range.

Georg gave him a questioning look, “What’s you’re problem?”

Bill glared up at him, “What do you want?”

“It’s time to take the Synthe.” Gustav answered and tossed Bill a water bottle and a small plastic bag of red powder.

Bill sighed as he looked down at the objects in his hands and shook his head, “We’ve got a problem.” Bill told the duo as he poured the powder into the water bottle before twisting the cap back on and giving it a good shake. “I know the kid and it’s not a good I know the kid. I killed his friend when they were little. He’s after my head.” Bill held his water bottle up to the light and watched it as the water turned thick and crimson.

“It’s a good thing he didn’t recognize you then.” Gustav commented with a chuckle.

“Yeah, it’s a fucking good thing he didn’t recognize me.” Bill spat at his friends before taking a deep drink of the synthetic blood he had mixed. “He may have looked like a rookie today in the store but he’s probably been training for the past decade or more and is a hell of a lot better then we thought. Today was a fluke.” Bill could already feel the effects of the blood on his system. His thoughts were clearer and he was starting to calm down. Unfortunately as his thoughts cleared the realization that he was stuck traveling with the kid who was aiming to kill him became clearer as well. “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

“Hey,” Georg hushed as he and Gustav knelt down to whisper, “Calm your ass down. So we ditch the kid and run in the opposite direction. Screw meeting up with Andreas in New York anyways. Andi’s a dick.”

Gustav cut him off, “Yeah, and he’s gonna try and get you to kill again like he always does. I don’t get why you want to go back anyways. The City is a bad place for you and you know it. There’s way too much of a chance that you’ll fall back into your old habits.”

“No!” Bill snarled and stood up to prove his point. “Andreas is our friend and has been since we were little. I turned him into what he is just like I changed you two and I’m not letting some kid with a grudge keep us from seeing our friend; even if Andi hasn’t come to his senses yet.”

Gustav and Georg stood up to be eye level with Bill. “Then what are we supposed to do about the kid?” Georg asked.

“We’ll take him with us and then find a way to ditch him in The City. And if he mentions William, he’s just one of our friends that we’re going to New York to kill. I don’t want this kids blood on our hands but he’s gonna try to find William Kaulitz no matter what. He wants a fight. I can at least get him there in one piece.” Bill answered before looking over at Tom trying to piece together the brand new tent he had picked up at the Rite Aid and failing.

“GOD DAMIT IT!” Tom cursed when the frame fell apart and Tom kicked it multiple times in frustration.

Bill smiled despite himself and laughed softly, “Go help the kid with the tent while I finish off this shit.” Bill instructed his friends and held up his half empty bottle of artificial blood.  
Georg and Gustav just shrugged and started to walk toward their newest group member, “Whatever you say boss.”

Bill sat back down next to the fire and began to drink the Synthe in his hand. The taste was metallic and cold; nothing like real human blood. But it got the job done and Bill wasn’t about to go back to the way things were. Human was officially off the menu from now on. Bill looked over at his companions and Tom saw him and smiled warmly back. “Hopefully it’ll stay that way.” Bill mumbled to himself before forcing himself to drink down the last bit of bitter liquid.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Mean while, Tom began setting up his tent while Bill talked with Gustav and Georg. It was a simple enough tent and Tom figured he could put it up without much fuss. Bill and the muscle twins were having a heated conversation about something after a bottle of water and a bag were shoved into Bill’s hands. “What is that?” Tom whispered in curiosity.

Bill was getting frustrated about something and Tom cursed himself for setting himself out of hearing range. The water that Bill had added the powder in the bag to had turned red and Bill was drinking the stuff. Tom chuckled at the face Bill made after drinking it. It looked like it tasted awful and Tom thought the way Bill scrunched up his nose in disgust was kind of cute.

“There’s a thought.” Tom said to himself as he looked at his tent which was half way constructed. Then a thought hit him. “GOD DAMN IT!” Tom started to curse and kick apart the tent he had almost finished putting together. The trio looked over at him and Tom tried to look like he had no clue what he was doing. “Come to papa.” Tom chuckled under his breath.

Unfortunately for Tom, Bill sent Dull and Duller over to help him instead of himself and Tom huffed at his failed plan.

Georg and Gustav went to work on the poles while Tom looked over at Bill who was still drinking the thick red drink. There were creases of worry in Bill’s forehead and Tom smiled at the brief image of kissing the lines away as Bill writhed under him. Tom’s smile got bigger when his eyes met Bill’s.

But it didn’t last long as Gustav bumped into him and told him to actually pay attention so he could put it together by himself next time. Tom rolled his eyes and watched as they set his tent up again.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill rolled over onto his side and tried to cover his ears with his hands. Georg and Gustav were using tonight as a last chance to get some before they got to The City and were going at it like jack rabbits in heat with only a thin layer of nylon tenting between their half of the tent and Bill’s. And to make matters worse it seemed that the G‘s were purposely trying to be louder then the pattering of the heavy New York rain.

“I am never going to get any sleep like this.” Bill growled as the moans kept seeming to grow increasingly louder. Then an intriguing and not wholly unpleasant idea happened upon Bill. There was another tent. And from the looks of it, it would comfortably fit two young men. Or at least one young man and an fiend who looked like a young man.

After contemplating his options; staying here, not sleeping at all, and having to listen to the G’s sex noises all night long or going out into the rain and getting at least a little sleep in Tom’s tent; Bill decided that the rain and Tom was a better choice.

Mind made up, Bill threw back his sleeping bag cover and shuffling to the tent opening in his pajamas after wrapping himself in a blanket. Slowly, Bill opened the zippered front of the tent and looked out into the rain. “Fantastic! This is fantastic. I hate the rain.” Bill whined before booking it across camp toward Tom’s tent. Unfortunately Bill forgot to consider that when water mixes with soil it makes mud and said mud is often slick. Four long strides from Tom’s tent Bill’s bare foot slipped and sent Bill toppling into the muck.

After a few moments of shocked laying in a puddle, Bill sat up and pouted, “I HATE THE RAIN! God, there is no way we’re showing up in New York with me looking like this. I look like Tom attacked me and we went mud wrestling.” Bill paused and took a moment to think about that particular thought. “Ok so maybe that option wouldn’t have been too awful. But still…”

Bill’s tantrum was halted by a noise in front of him. Looking up, Bill realized that he was right outside Tom’s tent and soft choked sounds were coming from inside. Spurred by curiosity and a slight flutter of lust in the pit of his stomach, Bill crawled closer and put his ear lightly against the plastic fabric of the tent door.

Several noises assaulted Bill’s ears at once; quiet stifled moans, the rustle of a sleep bag as if someone was grabbing at the cloth and the wet smacking sound of flesh against flesh. All of which could only signal Tom’s activities being one thing. “Oh my God, he’s jerking one off!” Bill mouthed silently at the realization and with interest pressed his ear closer the fabric.

The moist noise of rapidly moving flesh grew quicker and Bill bit his lower lip to stop himself from grabbing his own growing erection. And the faster the pace of Tom’s hand supposedly went the more Bill pressed his ear against the door of the tent. He was so caught up in listening to the sounds of Tom’s release that when Tom moaned out a loud and rather sloppy version of Bill’s name he failed to hear the zipper on the door coming open from his weight and leading to himself bursting into Tom’s tent; rain-drenched and half covered in mud, as Tom screamed, tried his best to cover himself with his sleeping bag and falling off his inflatable mattress in the process.

“BILL! WHAT THE FUCK!? SHIT!” Tom yelled in shock and disbelief.

Even in the dark, Bill’s better then human eye sight could see all the planes and ridges of Tom’s chest and abs. Luckily Bill’s moan was covered by Tom’s shouts of surprise.

“Hi, Tom. How are you tonight?” Bill asked in an attempt to cover the awkwardness of the whole situation.

“I’m fine… What are you doing here?” Tom questioned again after pulling on his boxers as quickly as he could manage.

“Umm…” Bill hummed as he sat up and tried to think of a way to phrase his request, “Well, funny story, I was in my tent, unable to sleep because of my tent mates being rather rude and ignorant to other peoples sleeping habits when I realized that you also had a tent. So I was wondering if I could possibly bunk with you for the night.” Bill finished and tried to give his best version of puppy dog eyes.

Tom fiddled with his lip ring for a moment before nodding. “All right,” Bill smiled brightly and was about to crawl closer onto the sleeping bag when Tom stopped him. “But you ain’t coming anywhere near the air mattress covered in mud.”

Bill looked down at his pajamas and remembered the fall; causing a slight pout to cover Bill’s lips. But then again, the idea of sleeping next to Tom, who apparently slept in his boxers, in only his underwear as well didn’t sound all that bad.

With a playful smirk, Bill peeled off his wet tee-shirt and threw it on the ruined blanket in the corner. Tom swallowed and stiffly tried to turn around as Bill started to strip. But lust seemed to get the better of him and Tom slowly turned his head to look over his shoulder to catch a look at Bill in a tight pair of black boy short undies. Bill’s back was toward him and Tom continued to stare at Bill’s backside. Bill could feel Tom’s wandering eyes on his body and a mischievous thought came to him. Folding his pajama pants up, Bill slowly bent over and placed them on top of his shirt and blanket.

Tom’s jaw dropped as Bill leaned over and gave him a stunning view of Bill’s thin hips and rounded ass. Tom swallowed hard and cursed God for the fact that even though he had just gotten one off, he was getting hard once again. After a moment, Bill straighten up and Tom seemed to snap out of his Bill induced haze. “Am I clean enough for you now?” Bill teased and slowly turned around and placed his slender hands on his hips.

“That should be fine. Let’s, eh, go to bed… I mean to sleep.” Tom stuttered and even in the dark of the tent, Bill could almost make out the blush on Tom’s cheek. Bill just smirked and climbed onto the mattress and under the unzipped sleeping bag with Tom.

It was slightly uncomfortable for a few minutes as both of them tried to lay on the full sized space without touching each other and both refusing to say anything. Finally however, Bill got fed up with not being able to sleep and growing cold with only half his long body covered by their blanket. “You know we can touch. It’s not like I bite.” Bill offered but held back the chuckle at the last bit and the murmured “anymore.” to himself.

“Ok, I mean, it is kind of cold and body heat would make this a lot more comfortable.” Tom commented in return. Bill smiled at the nonchalant smirk in Tom’s voice.

“Yeah,” Bill agreed slyly and scouted closer to the center of the mattress, “In the boy scout hand book it says the best way to prevent hypothermia is to get down to your underwear and huddle together.”

“Exactly. Because skin to skin contact promotes body heat because you’re not heating your clothes. And we wouldn’t want to get sick before we go into a fight now would we?” Tom continued, also closing the gap between them.

“That’s right,” Bill sighed as he remembered once again his guilt. Finally the pair were laying in the center of the mattress back to back. “That’s…better.” Bill commented but was slightly disappointed that Tom hadn’t pressed his broad chest against his back instead.

“Yep.” Tom yawned

There was another couple minutes of silence and Bill flicked his tongue stud against his teeth and tried to fight the conflicting emotions that were battling in his chest. On the one hand, telling Tom the truth was still an option even though he had told The G’s that they wouldn’t. In which case, Bill was pretty sure Tom would attack him and probably end up killing him since Bill refused to take another human life. But on the other hand, Tom was really hot and from what Bill had overheard, Tom kind of thought he was pretty hot too. In which case, keeping his mouth shut and seeing where he could take this attraction to sounded like an awful lot of fun as well as a nice way to spend his last few days alive.

Meanwhile, Tom was having conflicting emotions of his own. He didn’t entirely trust Bill and he could tell that his traveling companions were hiding something. But every time Tom closed his eyes, Bill came to his mind and being this close to the young man caused the tight golden coil of want to grow taunt. Tom bit at his lip ring in confusion and need.

Fortunately for the both of them Bill was impatient and had decided that having relations with Tom for the next few days was a much better decision over dying and so while Tom was still fretting with his lip ring and thinking over his options Bill sat up, leaded over and kissed Tom on the cheek, “Good night.” Bill whispered against Tom’s ear.

Tom froze for an instant before catching the drift and turning his head to look up into Bill’s crimson eyes. The moment lasted for a small eternity as they locked eyes and Tom shifted so he could bring a hand up to Bill’s cheek and brush his thumb over Bill’s tattoos.

Bill closed his eyes and exhaled a breath he didn’t know he had been holding. Tom’s hand moved from Bill’s face back into thick ebony hair and pulled Bill closer, their breath intermingling between them before Bill finished the circuit and surged forward to join his lips with Tom’s.

“I knew those condoms would come in handy.” Tom chuckled as he toppled Bill over and pinned him to the bed.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill woke up to a shaft of morning light sliding in through the still half way open door and assaulting his eyes. Groaning, Bill attempted to escape the garish light and squirm away but a heavy arm around his waist pulled him back into place.

“Oh.” Bill gasped as the memories of the night before came back to him and the slight ache in his rear began to register in his mind. Meanwhile, Tom had began to nuzzle at Bill throat and the hint of morning stubble was sending tiny shivers down Bill’s spine.

“Morning,” Tom moaned sleepily as his nuzzling turned into kissing and lapping at the new set of love bites he had draped across Bill’s flesh; they were already beginning to fade and Tom was on a mission to make sure they stayed there.

“Stop that.” Bill whined with a smile but not putting up much of an effort to stop Tom‘s minstrations.

“What’re you going to do about it if I don’t?” Tom replied playfully

“I might just push you down and have my way with you before breakfast.” Bill answered as he rolled over to face Tom.

Tom had a shit eating grin on his face. “Is that so? I’d like to see you try.”

Bill arched an eyebrow at Tom, “You’d like it.”

“Bring it on then.” Tom chuckled; his lips only moments from Bill’s

“Oh, it’s already been brought.” Bill retorted against Tom’s mouth before closing the short distance between them and fulfilling the kiss.

Tom’s lips nipped and teased at Bill’s mouth, demanding entrance, and Bill was only too happy to oblige. Their tongues danced against each others, as they struggled for dominance. Tom’s hands roamed Bill’s lithe frame with calloused and explorative caresses while Bill’s ventured into Tom’s braids in a last ditch attempt to keep control.

They wrestled atop one another until Tom finally won out and pinned Bill beneath him. Exhausted and out of breath, Tom parted from their kisses and rested his forehead upon Bill’s. Closing his eyes, Tom took a small moment to breath in the scent of his prize. “You’re perfect, you know that?” Tom breathed.

Bill shuddered beneath Tom. Guilt and lust and some emotion that Bill refused to think about were mixing like poison in his chest and he truly began to feel like he was acting like the monster he had once been. His heart was racing and it felt like it was going to eat it’s way out of his chest. He had to tell Tom the truth; about who he was, about what he had done, and hopefully Tom would allow him the chance to explain that he wasn’t that person anymore.

“Tom, I have to tell you something.” Bill whispered.

Tom raised his head and looked down upon him. “Yeah, what is it?” Light was shining into the tent from the open doorway to the tent and it shone down upon Tom. His braids were loose and hung down around his face like tendrils of raw black silk. Bill raised one of his hands to touch Tom’s face and run his thumb over Tom’s cheek bone in a mirror image of the caress Tom had given him the night before. Tom smiled softly and turned into Bill’s hand; placing a slow soft kiss upon the palm.

“You’ll hate me if I do.” Bill confessed and fought back tears he knew would come if he allowed them.

Tom sighed against Bill’s wrist, “Bill, you can tell me. If we’re going to go kill William together we have to trust each other. Trust me, you can tell me.”

Bill bit his lower lip to hold back a stab of pain in his chest. “That’s what I have to tell you about. Tom…” Bill paused as if to steel himself for the next moment which would lead to his death. “Tom, I’m actually…” Bill started but was cut off by an alarm and shouting from outside the tent.

“SHIT!” Tom spat before leaning in quickly to kiss Bill one more time. “Save that thought for later, it sounds like the electronic perimeter I set up last night is working. We’ve got company. And lots of it by the sound of it.”

Bill was about to protest, but Tom had already thrown on his jeans, grabbed his rifle and his newly shop lifted machete and was rushing out of the tent.

“Fuck!” Bill yelled and quickly went about grabbing his dirty pajama pants and pulled them on right before rushing out into the daylight. Three starved and blood crazed fiends were running toward the camp through the trees and it was making it hard to get a clear shot at them. Georg and Gustav were fully dressed and were rushing toward their attackers with machetes drawn and guns blazing. As Bill rushed for his tent to grab his own rifle he caught a glimpse of Tom getting a few shots off into the chest of an oncoming fiend.

The fiend went down at Tom’s feet and Tom quickly shot it several times in the head to make sure it was dead. Georg and Gustav had dispatched of the other two just as quickly and were already lighting the corpses on fire. Tom looked around and saw Bill walking toward him with a small can of gasoline and matches. “It’s gonna be a good day.” Tom smiled to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

After the attack on the camp, the group voted for a quick breakfast of protein bars and water, and then heading out. To everyone’s surprise, Tom was a lot better at taking down and packing up his tent then he had been putting up the tent. Once again, Tom watched as Bill, Georg and Gustav all put the red powder into their water bottles and drank the thick crimson liquid. In Tom’s head several possible conclusions were forming and most of them weren’t good.

But he had trusted them up until now and if he had learned one thing on the road, it was that you had to trust the people around you, but you also had to be wary of their true intentions. Somehow, before he could make any decisions, Tom had to figure out exactly what the red powder was. Then he would decide on what to do. But until then, he could focus on other things. Things like Bill and their sleeping arrangements the night before, or not sleeping at all arrangements really.

Tom’s excitement about this new development could only, in his mind, be described with a series of pelvic thrusts and air grinding that he directed toward Bill when the G’s backs were turned. “Stop that” Bill hissed even though he was blushing and it only spurred Tom’s antics on further.

“What are you going to do about it?” Tom teased, his fingers running over Bill’s sides and pulling Bill against him as he rolled his hips. “Huh, what are you going to do it?”

Bill giggled and pushed Tom away, “I could think of a few things to do to you.”

Tom bit his lower lip, “Yeah, like what?”

“I’ll tell you about it later.” Bill winked

Tom grabbed at Bill, “How about you tell me now?”

“Stop it!” Bill whined again as Tom wrapped his arms around Bill’s thin waist as they walked and began whispering dirty things into his ear. “Do you want to the G’s to find out?”

“I’m pretty sure they already know Mr. Stumbling out of Tom’s tent in your underwear. And why wouldn’t I want them to know? You’re hott! I want to tell everyone that I’m banging you!” Tom bragged.

“Oh yeah, because I’m so hot.” Bill began to pout, “I’m covered in mud and who knows what else. I need a shower.”

Tom smiled and kissed Bill’s temple “Don’t worry, we’ll stop at a hotel somewhere and try to find you some hot water.”

Bill‘s eyes lit up in childish joy. “Ohhh and those little hotel shampoos. I love those things! And soap, I smell.”

Tom just rolled his eyes and smiled. “I think you smell just fine. Me on the other hand…”After a moment of trying to remember the last time he‘s taken a good shower and failing, Tom turned his head to the side and sniffed the area near his armpit out of his own curiosity. The stench was horrific at best and the scent of rotting meat probably would have been an improvement. Tom tried to remember the last time he had actually had a real bath and failed. “Damn Bill,” Tom cursed, “How did you sleep with me? That is nasty.”

Bill chuckled softly and smirked, “I breathed through my mouth.”

“Oh shut your face!” Tom retorted.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Georg and Gustav walked thirty paces in front of Tom and Bill and tried not to look back at their so called leader and his pet.

“You know he’s only going to dig himself deeper into a hole and soon no one’s going to be able to pull him out.” Georg whispered

Gustav looked back at Bill and Tom who were love drunk staggering behind. “At least he’s smiling again.”

“Smiling! Who the fuck cares if he’s smiling now? He’s not going to be smiling when we get to New York. Especially since Andi is masquerading around as William Kaulitz. It’s going to get a little inconvenient for us when we get to the City and Andi realizes that Bill’s new play thing is going to try and kill him.” Georg spat in frustration.

“Will you calm your ass down.” Gustav ordered and grabbed the back of Georg’s neck. “This is not the time to panic. We will deal with this when the time come to it. But for now we just have to sit Bill down and ask him what he plans on doing now that he’s shacking up with the boy.”

Georg wormed his way out of Gustav’s hold, “Fine. But how do you suggest we separate the love birds?”

“Look, we’re a day’s hike to the City. And we all need a shower and some real sleep before we get there.” Gustav advised, “Andi and his gang might be able to survive in the City without going blood crazy, but its’ also gonna be crawling with starving fiends. Which means we’re going to have to fight our way through the mess before we even get to Bill’s old place and it’ll be better for all of us if we bunker down somewhere for the rest of the day with a shower and beds for all of us.”

Sighing, Gustav stopped and held Georg’s face close to his, “I’m sorry. I know you don’t like Andi and I know that when we said we were leaving we thought it would be for good. But Bill can barely function as it is. And if we leave him now, you know he’ll fall back into his old habits. I’m sorry.”

Pressing his forehead to Gustav’s, Georg nodded, “It’s alright. He needs us. And if it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have you. So it’s ok.”

“Hey, stop macin’ and let’s find a hotel with a working hot water boiler. I’m in the mood for a good hose down.” Bill interrupted when he and Tom caught up.

“I can arrange for that!” Tom chimed.

Gustav and Georg responded with a joint eye roll and started walking down the highway in mild disgust.

Bill shook his head at Tom and then punched him in the arm. “Really?”

“What? I meant I could find us a hotel.” Searching around in his pockets, Tom pulled out his GPS. “See, it even has an ap for it.” But Bill had already started walking away.  
______________________________________________________________________________

They found a cheap looking motel called the King’s Court that had a functioning generator and a working boiler. It looked as though it had been one of those rent by the hour places and although the bathroom looked clean enough Tom was tempted to find a black light and some bleach before he so much as sat down on the bed.

“Oh come on Tom, it’s probably been at least three years since anyone’s lived in this town and probably longer then that since anyone wanted to stay here.” Bill encouraged.

Tom grimaced as he peeled back the covers to the queen sized bed, “That’s not the point. There could be germs and other things like rats living in here. And rats carry diseases and other parasites that could kill you.”

Bill threw his hands up in defeat, “Ok, Mr. Gramophone; you can sleep in your hermetically sealed sleeping bag but I am not passing up the chance to sleep in an actual bed. Thank you very much. Now if you don’t mind, I’m going to go take a shower.”

“Do you want me to join you? You know in the name of conserving water.” Tom explained

“Hmm, well as exciting as that sounds I think we might end up getting dirtier in the shower then getting clean so I think I’ll pass. Try not to get into too much trouble.” Bill decided from the bathroom doorway, “Have fun.”

“Fun he says.” Tom whined as he gave in and sat down on the bed. From the bathroom, Tom heard the shower turn on and the sound of Bill humming to a song he couldn’t quiet make out. Already bored, Tom looked around the room for something to do. He opened all of the draws in the room, flipping through a decaying Book of Mormon and skimming over the list of books in the Bible. There was an expired box of condoms in the bed side table but looking over at his back pack he realized he already had plenty of those. He tried to turn the TV on but all he got was static. There was probably porn at the front desk but he was too lazy to go get it. And Bill probably wouldn’t appreciate it when he got out of shower.

Then the thought hit him. At first it was more of an idea. It started with the mental listing of things in his own back pack: Ammo, knifes, matches, protein bars, water bottles, some spare clothing and a plethora of condoms. The last item on the list morphing into having sex which led to thinking of Bill and finally ended with wondering what exactly was in Bill’s back pack.

Generally, Tom was not the type to rifle through other people’s things. Being partially OCD about people touching his own things, he wasn’t about to go picking through other peoples. And in general, Tom tended to trust people too much. But the thought of the red powder Bill drank wouldn’t sit with him.

Taking another moment to listen, Tom made sure that the shower was still going strong and knowing how Bill had complained about having a shower, he concluded that Bill would probably be in there a while.

Trying to be stealthy, Tom did a ninja roll off of the bed and over to the small table where Bill had dumped his stuff. With shifty eyes, he slowly opened the draw string at the top of the bag and pulled open the fabric. There was a cavalcade of miscellaneous objects in the bag. Many of them the likes of Tom’s bag: bullets, lighter fluid, a flash light, and some clothing that had clearly seen better days.

And then, there at the very bottom of the bag his finger tips brushed over a plastic bag. Reaching further, Tom got a hold of the package and pulled it out. It was a good sized bag and inside the cloudy plastic were tiny individual Ziploc bags with portioned amounts of crimson dust. There was a sticker on the back of the bag. Turning it over he read the text. “Synthetic Blood Powder. Mix with 12 ounces of water and drink. For use in the treatment of Hemoglobin Degeneration Disorder.” Tom stared at the torn package for what seemed an eternity. “They’re fiends…”

It was like the world had suddenly come to a halt. He had suspected Bill of keeping something from him; but this was not even close to his wildest imaginings. Shaking, Tom dropped the package of Synthe back into Bill’s bag and carefully tied it back up. It was getting increasingly hard to breathe in the tiny room and Tom began to stagger about. “What am I going to do? What am I going to do? What the fuck am I going to do?” Tom began to repeat to himself.

The need to move was biting at his limbs. With a frustrated sigh, Tom grabbed his gun and stumbled out of the room; slamming the door behind him. It was near sunset and Tom knew he should get back inside before the fiends came out to hunt. But then again, there were fiends inside the room he was staying in too. And to make matters worse he was sleeping with one of them. “Fuck!” Confused and half way in shock, Tom started to speed walk around the building. “Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

In his frustrated daze, he walked out into the middle of the road and sat down on the rough asphalt. The road was cracked and plant life had grown up between the jagged lines; a sure sign that the town was just too close to the City and thus had been abandoned like most of the small towns in New York and New Jersey. Laying down onto his back, Tom looked up at the sherbet colored sky and screamed. He wanted a car to drive down the empty street and crush him into a billion tiny pieces. He could understand that. He could understand death.

What he couldn’t understand was how he felt about this. Was he mad at Bill? Yes, he was definitely mad, but not because he was a fiend. He was mad that Bill hadn’t told him. But would he have told Bill if the situation was reversed? What was Bill supposed to say? Oh hey, by the way, I know that we kill fiends and all but guess what, we’re fiends too.

Tom covered his face with his hands and wished he could be somewhere else, anywhere else. Somewhere where he could think about this and get his bearings again. “But you’re not Tom.” he reminded himself. “You’re here. Here with Bill and the G’s and they’re fiends…” Tom took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Tom scrunched his eyes together to prevent pent up tears of anger from escaping. His hands were shaking and his lungs were tight. Growling and half sobbing, Tom dug his finger tips across the chipped and cracking surface of the road. It bit into his hands like tiny sets of teeth and tiny scraps and beads of fresh blood blossomed there. Trembling, Tom raised his bleeding fingers to his face and watched as the crimson liquid marred his dirty skin. Spurred by the sight, a stark image of Bill flashed across his mind, but it was not the happy smiling creature he had grown to care for. No, this Bill had fangs and claws and left a trail of dead victims in his wake. “No!” Tom denied the image and shook his head, “Bill would never do that. He’s a fiend, but he would never kill someone. And Georg and Gus, I’ve never seen them drink blood. They’re fiends who are using Synthe to control their blood lust. They’re not hurting anyone.”

Talking to himself in the middle of an abandoned street at twilight with bloody fingers may not have been the smartest thing that he had ever done; but it had helped him think. And it helped him formulate a plan on how he was going to deal with this.

Picking himself up and not even bothering to brush the dirt off his filthy clothing for once; Tom marched back toward his room and after pausing to wash the already drying blood of his hands in the drinking fountain, walked in just as Bill was walking out of the bathroom wearing a bathrobe and wrapping his hair up in a towel. Without much thought, Tom crossed the room and pulled Bill into hard and powerful kiss. There was no tenderness, no love in it, just pure raw need tinged.

When Tom finally allowed his hold on Bill to slacken, Bill pulled a millimeter away and smiled against Tom’s lips. “What was that for?”

Tom pulled further away and looked at Bill. He ran his palms over Bill’s fair face and now that the dirt and grim of the word was gone, Tom could see the perfectness of it. He looked into Bill’s crimson eyes and he wondered how he had ever told himself Bill was human. Leaning in again Tom placed a feather light kiss on Bill’s pale forehead.

“Tom, what’s wrong?” Bill asked. There was a slight tremble of worry in his voice.

Stepping away from Bill, Tom walked over toward Bill’s bag and pried it open. “Tom! What are you doing?” Bill stammered in confusion.

“I know Bill! I found out! I know everything!” Tom declared in a low and quiet tone as he threw the package of Synthe onto the bed.

Bill was on the verge of tears. He hadn’t thought about what he was going to say to Tom when the truth came out. He hadn’t wanted to. He had been happy living in the lie he had created.  
“I’m so sorry, Tom. I tried to tell you. So many times, but every time I couldn’t bring myself to hurt you…” Bill sobbed.

Tom looked at Bill in shock, “Hurt me? Bill, I don’t care if you’re a fiend.”

“You don’t?” Bill whimpered

“No,” Tom barked in disbelief before he walked back over to Bill and wrapped him up in a heart-breakingly warm hug. “You and the G’s survive off fake blood. You don’t hurt anyone. William’s the monster here, he’s the one who made you isn’t he? That’s why you want to kill him. Don’t worry, once we get to the City we’ll kill him together.” Tom’s declaration made Bill’s heart flutter and break at the same time.

Tom knew that he was a fiend and still wanted to be with him. The realization of that alone was enough to melt Bill’s heart. But Tom didn’t know everything like he thought he did. He still thought William was somewhere in New York devouring humans. He didn’t know that the man who gave him nightmares was currently entwined in his arms. And the knowledge of that was eating away at Bill’s sanity and his heart.

“Tomi… I…” Bill started, but the look on Tom’s face stopped his words in their tracks. “I should have told you sooner.”

Tom shook his head and Bill almost smiled at the way his braids swayed across his shoulders. “No, it’s fine. How could you tell me something like that? I understand.”

‘But you don’t!’ Bill wanted to scream, should have screamed. But he was selfish and one truth told was better then no truth and so Bill just laid his head on Tom’s shoulder and let Tom’s hands make soothing circles on his back.

They stood like that for their own personal era and then the real world came back to them when a knock came to the door. “Bill, it’s Gustav. Georg and I need to talk to you.”

“Just a minute!” Bill called. “Tom, I…”

“It’s fine. I need to take a shower and clean up. Go and talk with them. Tell them that you guys don‘t have to hide anymore.” Tom reassured Bill and kissed him deeply once more. “I’ll see you later.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

“So let me get this straight,” Georg muttered while he paced, “Tom knows we’re fiends, but he thinks that William changed us and that that’s the real reason why we want to kill William?”

“It’s mostly true. William did make you guys.” Bill offered with a smile.

Gustav chuckled softly and waited for the explosion of Georg that was bound to happen and did. “Bill, you are William! He’s not some mythical character. William is you, not Andi even though he wishes he was! You, you made us! You killed his best friend!”

“Georg!” Gustav scolded firmly. His tone enough to tell Georg he had gone to far.

Bill murmured a response, “I know! I know that I’m William and I know that I’ve done things that I deserve to be punished for. But I can’t do it yet. I can’t lose Tom. Not yet!”

Georg rolled his eyes and started to laugh, “Oh, I can’t believe you! You’ve fallen in love with him.”

Bill’s eyes went wide as saucers and a deep blushed boiled behind his cheeks, “No.. no... I haven‘t!” Bill’s eyes searched for some help from Gustav but the stoic young man just shot him a small smile and a head shake.

“Give it up Bill! You’re in love with the brat and you’ve only known him for 48 hours.” Georg teased.

Bill’s bottom lip turned into a pout. With a huff, he crossed his newly shaven legs and readjusted the towel that was wrapped around his head proudly, “I don’t believe you. And besides, you’re not one to talk when it comes to falling for someone you just met.”

“He’s got you there, Georg.” Gustav chuckled

Georg threw a nasty glare at Gustav but relented and looked down at the floor shaking his head, “Ok, so I shouldn’t judge, but Bill, it was different for me and Gustav. Tom’s not exactly going to willingly take the blood. He’s been killing fiends since he was old enough to know how to use a weapon. He’s not going to jump at becoming one just because he’s all doe eyed for you. Which brings up the question, what are we going to do when we get to the City now? Andi’s not exactly going to just let a human walk into his kingdom.”

“I know.” Bill admitted. “I just haven’t figured out how to get around all this.”

“Like I said before,” Gustav interjected, “We could just not go.”

“NO!” Bill huffed. “We all promised! And I am not running away from this. Andi has been using my name for too long. I have to stop him. And we promised him we would come for the party.”

“Look you two, I’m sick of you guys always fighting about this.” Georg cut in, “Bill, Gus is just worried about you. Every time we visit Andi you’re tempted more and more to slip back into being who you used to be. And Gus, we made a promise to Andi when we left that we would come back once every two years. And what’s the first rule we all made to each other?”

“Never break a promise.” Gustav muttered defeated.

Bill nodded proudly, “Exactly. Never break a promise and we promised AndI we’d be there for his party.”

“You keep telling yourself that princess.” Gustav chuckled, “You do know why he’s throwing this party. Our little Billa is turning the big Four-Zero!”

Bill responded with a pout and threw a pillow at Gustav, “I hate you!”

Gustav just laughed and caught the cotton covered projectile before it collided with his face. “Hey, how old is your lover Bill?”

“Ohhh,” Georg smirked as he sat down next to Gustav, “That’s right, I bet he’s barely in his twenties, maybe younger. In which case, you’re totally cougaring out Bill.”

Bill’s eyebrows knitted together uncomfortably, “Shut up. It doesn’t matter how old Tom is. Age is just a number.”

“Don’t even try that bull shit. How old is he Bill? You have to tell us.” Georg pushed teasingly

Bill clicked his tongue ring against his teeth, “Umm he’s twenty-ish.”

“Twenty-ish?” Gustav asked with a smirk.

Bill huffed in defeat, “Fine, he’s nineteen, but he’s almost twenty. His birthday is next month.”

Gustav and Georg burst into gales of laughter. “You’ve… you’ve got to be kidding me.” Georg gasped between spasms of laughter.

“You’re twice his age Bill. You could be his father.” Gustav added with tears on his eyes.

“Eww.” Bill sulked, “I don’t want to think about that.” Georg and Gustav couldn’t stop laughing and had fallen backwards onto the bed to continue their gales of laughter.

“Oh and you’re rich too. You could be his sugar daddy.” Gustav added.

“What was that about sugar daddies?” Tom voice sounded from the doorway.

Bill was petrified and the look on his face only caused Georg and Gustav to once again roll about on the bed in childish glee.

“What’s wrong with them?” Tom asked, making his way into the room and coming up behind Bill, placing his hands on Bill’s hips.

Bill pouted and turned to bury his face in the black cotton of Tom‘s oversized Tee-shirt, “They’re just being jerks.”

“Don’t be like that Bill.” Georg urged as he sat up, holding his aching ribs and gasping for air. He turned his attention to Tom, “We were just discussing Bill’s up coming birthday.”

“Birthday?” Tom smiled and played with his lip ring in interest.

Gustav chuckled, “Yeah, care to tell Tom how old you’ll be in two days Bill.”

Bill continued to hide his face against Tom’s shoulder and shook his head. “It’s awful.”

“Oh come on babe, it can’t be that bad. Besides, you look great. You look like you just got out of high school.” Tom offered in encouragement.

Bill groaned in displeasure and looked into Tom‘s eyes, “That just makes it worse.”

“God, just hurry up and tell him how old you are. He’s obviously too in love with you to care.” Georg pushed after getting tired of Bill’s stalling. Bill kept his eyes on the ground and mumbled out something that vaguely sounded like a word. “What was that Bill? I don’t even think the voices in your head could understand that one.”

Bill throw a dark glare at Georg before turning back to Tom, “I’m going to be forty. And before you decide to leave because I’m an old gross thing I just want to say that…”

Tom cut him off by placing a hand on Bill‘s mouth, “Bill, shut up. I‘ve been traveling for over six months hopping from one tiny settlement to the next. If you think that I think jumping in the sack with someone twice my age is gross you definitely don‘t want to hear stories about some of the people I‘ve been with.”

“Is that why you were stocking up with condoms when we saved you?” Georg asked. Bill was gazing at Tom with stars in his eyes and a slight feeling of jealousy running through his veins.

Tom shrugged and answered Georg while his hand remained over Bill‘s lips, “Pretty much. You can never be too careful when it comes to one night stands. Bill, stop trying to lick my hand like it‘s a piece of candy. It‘s unsanitary.”

Bill’s eyes were mischievous and sultry as they beamed at Tom over Tom’s hand as if to say ‘make me.’ Taking the hint, Tom removed his palm from Bill’s face and proceeded to pick Bill up and throw him over his shoulder. Nodding toward Georg and Gustav, Tom held tight to a struggling Bill, “If you’ll excuse us boys, it looks like I have to go explain to Bill in a way other then words that in my book, age is just a number.”

And with that Tom turned and headed toward the door with his prize in tow. Bill smirked back at Georg and Gustav and stuck his tongue out at them, “I told you so.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

A few hours later, the four men sat around a table chatting while they all attacked massive bowls microwaved spaghetti-O’s Tom and Bill had scavenged from the pantry in the office. “So you guys still need to eat food even though you drink blood?” Tom asked

The three looked at him like he was an idiot. “Yeah,” Bill replied, “We’re not fucking vampires, our bodies still need nourishment to survive.”

Tom still looked confused and Gustav decided to take pity on him. “You see, people with HDD, what happens is that their white blood cells get…infected and they mutate.” Gustav began to explain, “It’s kind of like reverse AIDS. Instead of the virus killing white blood cells it makes the white blood cells into these super human things that go around the body changing things and making them better. They eat away body fat, they build muscle, they improve eye sight and make healing super quick; we don‘t even age and if we do it‘s so slow none of us have noticed it. I mean I could get shot and the wound would heal in an hour or two because of these cells. Well, as long as I’m not shot in the head that is. That’s kind of irreversible. But anyways, we also need food just like any human would. For energy and stuff like that.”

Tom still was slightly confused, “But why do you even need blood?”

Bill answered him this time. “Unfortunately these super cells need iron to survive and so they eat away at the hemoglobin in the blood. Which is why it’s called Hemoglobin Degeneration Disorder. We drink blood because the cells absorb blood through the stomach into the blood stream where the white blood cells are. If the cells don’t get the iron from the hemoglobin the cells start attacking the body and the brain; that’s when you get crazy fiends like the one that attacked you in the Rite-aid. He was pretty bad, probably one of the worst one’s I’ve seen. He probably hadn’t had any blood in his system for weeks. When they get that bad there’s no point in helping them, you just have to kill them. We need blood because the white blood cells can only use iron in the hemoglobin.”

Tom sat and tried to absorb everything Bill had said. Taking a bite of spaghetti-O’s, Tom turned away from Bill and randomly changed the subject, “So how did you guys get infected?” Tom asked George and Gustav between spoonfuls of pasta and soupy tomato sauce.

They looked at each other and then over at Bill, who smiled and nodded his approval. Georg started, “Well, as Bill said, William was our friend in high school. At least he was Bill’s and mine. We went to a private all boys school in D.C. Gus transferred into our class at the beginning of senior year. He was kind of a loner because nobody really knew him. He was from the other side of town.”

“What Georg means is that I was poor and the rich kids all thought I was going to mug them for something.” Gustav interjected with a smirk.

“We did not.” Bill smirked, “Although I do recall several people getting better combination locks for their lockers after you showed up. And William liked you well enough. He took you under his wing and you became popular overnight.”

“William needed a body guard, that’s why he liked me.” Gustav corrected. He explained for Tom, “William had just been infected and was sick a lot. But he refused to miss school and not be adored by his fans so when he got light headed or sick it was my job to protect him.”

“Sounds like you got the short end of the stick then Gus. I mean, you protect him and take care of him while he’s sick and he ends up infecting you.” Tom speculated.

Georg broke in to correct Tom, “Actually, I was the one who asked William to infect Gus.”

“What? Why?” Tom questioned

“Because he was in love” Bill chorused, drawing out ‘love’ to make it sound sappy.

“Fuck you Bill,” Georg retorted, “And yeah, I was in love. I still am. I fell for Gus the first day he walked into second period ancient history.”

“It only took you another four months to tell me though.” Gustav teased, lacing his fingers into Georg’s and bringing his partners hand up to kiss.

Georg throw Gustav a look but returned to the story, “Anyway, Gus got really sick over spring break that and had to go the hospital. We found out he had cancer. Stage four. There was no way he would have survived. So I begged William to infect Gus because I knew it was the only way to save him. I mean, I love him. I couldn’t just let him die.”

Bill smiled, remembering the conversation between himself and Georg. He hadn’t understood why Georg had cared so much about Gustav at the time, only knowing him for a few months. But looking over at Tom, Bill could understand where Georg was coming from.

“After I got infected” Gustav commented, “the cells went in and devoured the cancer. After the initial stage where you feel like you’re gonna pass out every half hour, I was in better shape then I had ever been and healthier too.”

Tom exhaled through his nose and looked pensive for a moment, “Hmm, but I mean, you became a fiend. Didn’t that scare you? Having to drink blood and all.”

“Sure it did.” Gustav replied. “But Georg said he would become a fiend too and of course Synth came out right before that so I never had to drink human blood actually.”

“Synthetic blood you mean?” Tom inquired.

“Yeah,” Gustav nodded, “You were probably really young at the time but when people first started to get infected with HDD fiends were allowed to remain in normal society. The disease is only contagious if you drink their blood after all. But we’re powerful. We’re stronger, more durable, and we have to drink blood to survive. And the government didn’t really dig that. Luckily synthetic blood is easy to make. They created blood tablets and powders that fiends could mix with water to produce fake blood.”

“So why don’t the fiends in New York drink Synth like you guys?” Tom asked, afraid he was starting to sound like a five year old.

“Remember how we had to blow up the safe in the Rite aid?” Gustav asked, and then sighed as if recalling a fond memory, “I think it was some of my best work actually.”

Georg smiled at Gustav, “I agree, minimal flame with a maximum amount of explosive energy.”

“You’re digressing boys.” Bill reminded them with a soft chuckle.

“Right, ok well, Synth may be easy to produce but the government owns it, which means it’s expensive and only people with money could get a hold of it at the beginning. And then it was by prescription only. Luckily we had William on our side and he had more money then he knew what to do with. Freaking trust fund brat.” Georg explained.

Tom shifted in his seat, slightly put off that his spaghetti-O’s were all gone, but otherwise interested in learning the most he could about fiends before he got to the City. Anything he could use against William was good information to have. “But the fiends have free reign over half the east coast. Don’t they have explosives and Rite-aids in the City?”

“They do, it‘s just that…” Bill tried to explain, “Well, Synthe is ok. I mean it’s enough to get by day to day. But it’s nothing like human blood. Synthe will keep you sane. Human blood… If you have enough, you don’t have to drink for weeks and it’ll bring you back from the brink of insanity. It’ll make you feel almost human again. And the emotional residue is way too much fun for most fiends to want to give up.”

“Emotional residue? I thought you guys weren‘t fruity vampires with stupid abilities like that.” Tom was thoroughly confused.

Gustav cut Bill off before Bill said something that might get him in trouble. “ We’re not. It’s biological. When a person experiences strong emotions, such as anger or joy or…”

“LUST!” Bill chimed in with an excited smile.

“Or lust,” Gustav continued. “the body releases endorphins that are specific to that emotion. When fiends drink blood straight from the host, that fiend experiences part of the emotional state that their victim is in. It’s like being on drugs without the groggy after effect. You just have to get your victim in the right mood.”

“Interesting.” Tom comment as he flashed Bill a look that was part question and part demand; his tongue sliding across his lower lip suggestively. There was a brief pause while Bill sent Tom an answering smirk. “So, Bill. How did you become a fiend?”

Georg and Gustav’s eyes snapped toward Bill in worry but Bill shrugged it off and smiled, “I’ll tell you about it later.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom pinned Bill up against the door the minute it closed behind him and letting a small feral growl crawl past his lips, Tom attacked Bill’s neck with kisses and love bites. Bill closed his eyes and jumped up to wrap his legs around Tom’s waist.

Clinging onto one another, Tom tried his best to carry Bill toward the bed while his face was buried into the clean soft lines of Bill’s clavicle. He bit and nibbled at the delicate skin there, tiny bruises forming and disappearing before Tom could legitimately say they were his mark of ownership.

Bill moaned and rocked his lithe body against Tom’s in urgent but slow swells. Minute whimpers and moans escaped him and he arched his back in euphoria as Tom’s teeth dragged their way down his pale neck. Bill had experienced the pleasure of running his own canines down the delicate skin of a neck many time but he had never had anyone feast upon his own and the violent but blissful sensations caused by the act were enough to convince Bill he wanted to experience it again and again.

Finally they stumbled onto the bed, Tom falling backwards once his calves hit the frame and Bill falling on top of him. Their lips met once again in a clash of lips and teeth and tongues. Fingers began their work of removing tee-shirts and fumbling with belt buckles. With a devilish smirk, Bill parted from the lusty kiss and sat up. Running his thin fingers down Tom’s now bare chest, Bill arranged his himself so he could grind his ass down onto Tom’s groin. Tom groaned in response, his teeth making indents in his lower lip, and gave a few needy thrusts up against Bill.

Smiling, Bill looked down at the bronzed boy beneath him. His hands roamed over Tom’s well defined muscles and he chuckled softly as Tom’s abs fluttered and flexed beneath his attentive finger tips. Tom’s eyes were on him with a startling intensity that made Bill’s stomach flip.

“You’re so beautiful.” Tom sighed, his own hand reaching up to brush along Bill’s cheek bone.

“Shut up.” Bill whined.

“No, really. I can’t imagine how I ever thought you were human.” Tom said as he sat up and placed both hands on Bill’s pale cheeks, “I mean, now that I look at you it’s in everything. Your hair is as dark as night and your skin is flawless. And… and your eyes. I don’t know how I ever looked into your perfect eyes and not seen it. They’re like rubies.”

Bill smiled sadly, “Everybody changes differently. But my eyes didn’t change until I stopped drinking human blood.”

Tom’s curiosity was peaked, “You used to drink blood?” Tom asked with a kiss to the side of Bill’s mouth.

Bill closed his eyes and breathed in Tom’s scent. “Yes, but I stopped. I stopped when I realized I couldn’t hurt people anymore. I was out of control and William was taking over. I had to stop him. I had to stop being…” Bill couldn’t finish.

“Being what? A fiend?” Tom wondered softly. “You can’t change that Bill. It’s who you are. What happened in the past is the past. Neither of us can go back and change it. All we can do is make the most of each new day and try to make the future better. And it will be. Now that we have each other. Because together we can kill William and he’ll never be able to hurt you or me or anyone ever again.”

Bill shook his head, fighting back tears that threatened to unmake him. “Tom.” Bill stammered, “There’s something I have to tell you before we get to the City tomorrow. And I don’t know how you’re going to react.”

Tom’s forehead creased in worry, “What is it Bill? You can tell me.”

Bill gave Tom a watery smile. “Why couldn’t you have been someone else? Anyone else.”

“Because I’m not Bill. And I wouldn’t want to be, because then I would never have met you.” Tom declared.

“That’s exactly my point.” Bill confessed. “If you hadn’t met me, you wouldn’t be here.”

Tom laughed, “You’re right, I’d be dead. I’d be a rotting corpse in that Rite-aid. Bill, you saved my life. And if I hadn’t met you I know in my heart, that I would never feel as happy as I do right now. So, what did you need to tell me?”

Bill paused and looked into Tom’s honey brown eyes. He ran his fingers over Tom’s shoulders and down his tan arms. The words he needed to say were there but his mouth refused to say them. He should have said who he was. He should have confessed what he’d done. He should have said that he was sorry. But instead he said, “Nothing. Just that… I love you.”

“Is that it?” Tom smirked.

Bill forced himself to nod.

Tom smiled and wrapped his arms around Bill, “Well I don’t know what you were expecting but I love you too. Now let’s get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Bill nodded and slide off of Tom and onto the bed beside him. “Tomorrow we go back to reality.” Bill whispered to himself.

“What was that?” Tom asked as he pulled Bill until his back was flush against Tom.

“Nothing,” Bill smiled, “Sweet dreams Tom.”

Tom replied with a kiss to Bill’s throat, “You too.”


	3. Chapter 3

The sky was a dark, churning gray and the dull color seemed to permeate everything about Bill as he looked at his surroundings. But the sides of his vision were cut off by black silk over hard plastic. He brought his hand up to touch the object that was obstructing his sight and realized it was a mask.

But it was not just any mask. It was the mask he had worn so many years ago, when he had been William Kaulitz; the rich aristocratic brat who had drank up his father’s money on frivolous things. Things like the mask he was wearing to appease his dear old dad.

‘I will not have a son who gallivants about as a monster. No one must ever know William. And I mean no one.’ Bill could hear his father’s voice in his head; recalling the argument they had gotten into after William had told his parents about his newly acquired condition.

His mother had cried, sobbed really, and had denounced God for cursing her only child. She had blamed herself and Bill had agreed with her. ‘It is your fault Mommy! And I’ll tell you why. You and Daddy were always on the campaign trail. If it wasn’t Senator it was Governor. If it wasn’t that it was the Presidency! And where was your precious only child then, when you were gallivanting across the country? Oh, that’s right, he was at home, with his nanny and his tutor, who in the end loved him more then his parents ever would.’

He had yelled. He had thrown a fit. And in the end his parents had caved and given him anything he could every want and more money then he knew what to do with. ’As long as you wear a mask at all times.’ That had been the condition. ‘Hide who you are so that you can continue living in a dream.’

“Old habits die hard.” Bill whispered to himself as the gray world began to shift. He was still wearing the mask but the place that was unfolding before him was many years after he had first donned his flamboyant disguise.

He was kneeling in the mud beside an old oak tree. A rope ladder was swinging in the slight breeze beside him and the leaves on the ground began to dance in blustery circles around Bill. Walking toward him was a small boy. Young, with hair the color of honey and eyes like burnt sugar. As the boy came closer to him, he began to grow older with each step and Bill watched in wild fascination as the youth transformed into a form he now knew very well.

As his limbs grew longer and his clothing became baggier, the boy’s hair began to grow out and twine together into gold and brown dread locks that he pulled back with a baseball cap. His face became stronger, his eyes grew colder with each passing step, and there was a metamorphosis about him in the purpose of this strides.

Then a few short steps from Bill, the young man’s dreads shivered and black seeped into them as the bundles of hair grew tighter and changed into the clean rows of braids that Bill wanted to run his trembling fingers through and grab onto.

“Tomi…” Bill murmured longingly up at Tom when the boy was only a feet away from him.  
But Tom did not whisper Bill’s name back to him as Bill had hoped. Instead Tom looked down at him with contempt and hatred and a deadly force that shook Bill to the core. It was as if he did not recognize Bill at all.

“William Kaulitz, you told me that when I was strong enough to kill you I should come and find you. I have found you and I am strong enough.” Tom proclaimed with seething hatred. “But first, I am going to take your mask off and finally see who the man that has haunted me for so long really is.”

Bill began to tremble, “Please Tomi, no, don’t!” Bill begged but it was as if Tom could not hear a word he said.

Tom’s hand came to Bill’s face and Bill caressed his cheek against the calloused palm in fond remembrance. The fingers worked quick and made their way between Bill’s shield and his cheek bone, but they were slow to pull the black and shimmering barrier away.

It all happened in slow motion as the mask was removed and the last remnants of the cloudy world came into Bill’s view.

This time, Tom did whisper Bill‘s name back. “Bill.” But there was no love in Tom’s voice, no kindness, no compassion. Just rage, and hatred, and above all things, purpose. Bill begged, pleaded, prayed for redemption but his words took no hold on Tom and without hesitation Tom brought his gun to Bill’s head and pulled the trigger.  
______________________________________________________________________________

“NO!” Bill sat up in bed screaming and gasping for air.

“Bill!” Tom panicked, head still foggy from being woken from sleep as his hands fumbled for the hand gun they stored on the night stand, “What’s wrong?”

Shaking, Bill brought his hand to the place where Tom’s phantom bullet had entered his temple. He looked around him at the disheveled motel room and realized it had only been a nightmare. “N-nothing.” Bill exhaled turning his gaze to Tom. “Just a dream.”

Tom set the gun back down and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his palm. “Ok.” Tom yawned. Bill smiled as he watched Tom. His eyes were big and heavy with sleep and his tired smile was goofy and sweet. “Come here.” Tom commanded softly as he took Bill into his arms. Bill happily went where he was pulled and rested his sweat dampened brow on Tom’s warm chest as Tom forced them both to lay back down.

They laid together in the darkness, breathing in the presence of the other. It was quiet and slow, and beautiful. It broke Bill’s heart.

“Tomi,” Bill murmured, “after tomorrow, after we get to the city, things will change; everything will be different. ”

Tom exhaled a happy breath and ran his hands through Bill’s hair as it fell over his chest. “I know.” His arms tightened around Bill trying to get that much closer, “Everything will be better.”

“I hope so.” Bill sniffled, “I really do. Tomi, I…”

Tom could hear the strain in Bill’s soft words, “What is it Billa?”

The pet name made Bill smile, “Nothing, I’ll tell you tomorrow.” Bill said. He had made up his mind. He would tell Tom who he was when they got to the City and he would gladly take whatever came with it.

“I love you Bill.” Tom cooed, already falling back to sleep. Bill didn’t have the heart to say it back but he craned his neck upwards so he could kiss Tom deeply, making Tom smile as his eyes struggled to stay open. “Sweet dreams Billa. We have a big day ahead of us.”

It only was a few moments before Tom was once again passed out, “You have no idea, Tomi.” Bill whispered to his sleeping lover. “You really don’t.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The foursome were sluggish as they rose and the sun seemed to feel the same way as dark heavy clouds blanketed the sky and fought back any hopeful rays that poked through the dense blanket in bright shafts of light. The dark weather and the absence of Tom’s body heat next to him made Bill want to roll over and go back to sleep.

Reaching, Bill clasp his fingers around Tom’s pillow and pulled it to his chest. He pressed his face into the cool pillow case and inhaled deeply. Tom’s scent was still warm and fresh and it made Bill’s heart race. Hugging the plush pillow to his body and sighing happily, Bill let himself fall back to sleep.

Tom smiled as he walked out of the bathroom after his shower to find Bill snoozing. With a soft chuckle, he sat down on the bed next to his lover and swept a stray piece of ebony hair away from Bill’s high cheek bone. It was odd seeing him this clean. Bill’s skin was now a luminous white and the stark black lines that accented his eyes were even harsher now that they were not subtly hidden beneath dried blood splatter and everyday grim.

Sighing contently, Tom bent down and kissed Bill’s slightly parted lips as if to breathe life into his drowsy body. “Like they do in every fairy tale, the handsome prince has come to awaken his true love with a kiss.” Tom murmured against Bill’s ear.

Bill made a small noise of protest and refused to open his eyes, “I think the prince will need to add a few more kisses to achieve that.”

Tom smiled and happily complied.

Meanwhile in the room two doors down Georg and Gustav laid together in silence as they held onto one another. Gustav’s hand made slow calm circles along Georg’s back as Georg laced his fingers with the ones on Gustav’s free hand. Together they spent a private lifetime of peace and forgot for a moment that the world was about to crash down around them. Georg’s head laid upon his companion’s broad chest, his lips briefly gracing over the scars from the multiple surgeries Gustav had undergone as a human. And with each chaste kiss, Gustav’s stomach muscles would flutter and cause him to laugh quietly.

“In all the world,” Gustav whispered, “there is no one I would rather spend eternity with.”

“Is that so?” Georg murmured back

Gustav nodded, “You are my savior, my lover, my soul mate, my comrade. You complete me.”

“You’re so cheesy.” Georg sighed with an eye roll, “But I wouldn’t have it any other way.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

After a long morning of lazy kisses and last chance loving the boys finally re-grouped and discussed their plans.

“I say we stick to the major road ways, it’s the fastest way through the city and down toward B…William’s mansion.” Georg suggested.

Tom shook his head in disagreement. “No. The high ways are too linear with too many bridges and tunnels. If we get attacked we could get bottled necked without any exits and then we’re screwed. And if we’re dealing with fiends like the one that attacked me; starving and blood crazy, I don’t want to get ambushed in a place were I don’t have an escape route.”

“Tom’s right. It’s too risky.” Bill agreed as a plan started to form in his head. “Georg, Gus, do you remember the route we took when we left last time?”

“The Cathedral?” Gustav questioned, his interest peaked.

Bill shot his a knowing smile, “Yeah, why not? The catacombs are well hidden and only the elite fiends know their way into them, which means it’ll be the safest.”

“It’ll also be the longest way in and we’ll have to stay the night in the church because there‘s no way we‘re running around the City at night. Especially with a human. Andi’s raiding parties will pick him up in a second.” Georg pointed out.

“Raiding parties?” Tom asked

Bill rolled his eyes, “God I hate them! They’re so annoying. The fiends go through blood like gluttons, at least the rich ones do. Which means, if there were any humans in the City to begin with there aren’t anymore. The rich do a pretty good job at keeping their humans alive but the human body can only take so much before it dies and the fiends have to go find more humans to drink. So they send out raiding parties to the nearby settlements and snatch up humans. Not to mention, sometimes the humans are so strapped for money or supplies they sell travelers to them. I’m surprised you’ve never been picked up.”

Tom thought this over and then a thought hit him, “I always did wonder why they liked tying me up whenever I stopped for the night somewhere. I just thought I attracted the kinky ones. Although now that I think about it, that old lady back in Philadelphia was kinda a surprise.” Tom smirked causing Bill’s eyebrow to arch. Catching the look Tom tried to push the attention away from him, “Will you stop looking at me like that. You look like Spock. She had a lot of life left in her. Now, just go back to telling us the plan.”

“Whatever you say Casanova, ” Bill chuckled.

“See Bill,” Gustav joked, “You don’t need to worry about being over the hill, Tom seems to like it on that side anyways.”

Georg struggled to contain himself as he added to Gustav teasing, “Yeah, in fact, you might actually want to consider doing your make up a little different to make yourself look older. And I’m sure one of us packed some rope you guys could us.”

Bill’s glare fought to remain harsh against a bout of laughter until an idea struck, “YES! That’s perfect! We’ll tie Tom up!”

“What?!” Tom cried. Georg and Gustav were equally puzzled.

“Bill, we were only joking and I don’t feel comfortable having a foursome with you or the human.” Georg protested hesitantly.

Bill looked at the three like they were all the biggest idiots on Earth and was mildly insulted. “Shut up Georg. I know you fantasize about me behind Gusty’s back. And we are not gang raping Tom. I don’t like to share.”

Tom and Gustav both gave a disgruntled huff of annoyance.

“Then why the hell would be tie Tom up?” Georg asked.

“To fool the raiding parties that’s why.” Bill finally explained, “We’ll take him to the mansion as our ‘slave’.”

“Slave?!” Tom disliked the term, especially when it was used to describe himself. “I don’t like the sound of that.”

Bill chuckled and ran his finger tips possessively down Tom’s sides. “Ah, I kind of liked that one. But there are plenty of other titles we could use: sex toy, play thing, midnight snack, meat bag, donor to some of the more liberal fiends, etc. The list goes on and on. But the point is, if you’re mine then the raiding parties can’t touch you because you already belong to me. And nobody in the City is about to mess with my property.”

“Bill…” Gustav whispered as a warning.

“What?” Bill sighed, “They wouldn’t. No body would even think about it and you know it. No body in their right mind is going to try and steal from Wi…”

“Bill!” Georg interrupted before Bill said something he would regret. “We need to get going. It’s already noon and it’ll take us the rest of the day to get to the Church if you still want to go that way.”

Realizing what he had been about to say, Bill suddenly became very quiet as a deep dark feeling of dread consumed him, “You’re right. Let’s go.”

Tom followed Bill out of the room as they headed back to their own to grab their gear. Possessively, Tom reached out and grabbed Bill’s hand but Bill pulled his hand away and kept walking. “Bill…” Bill ignored the soft murmur of his name. Tom reached for Bill’s hand again, “Bill look at me.”

This time Bill did not pull back his hand so gently, “What do you want Tom?” Bill spat.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Tom demanded softly. Bill looked away in shame.

“I can’t.” Bill admitted and began to walk away again.

But Tom would not let him escape and grabbed his wrist again. “Why not?”

“I just can’t Tomi. It‘s nothing, really, so don‘t worry about it.”

“That’s not good enough. If you’re going to lie to me at least make it some what believable.” Tom pushed.

Bill growled and tugged on the roots of his hair in frustration. “Let it go Tom! Just mind your own damn business for once!”

Tom reached out to Bill, trying to halt Bill’s tight pacing, “Bill, you are my business. Whatever it is that’s got you all riled up is my business and before you ask why it’s because I love you, that’s why.”

A hot and straggled scream ripped itself from Bill’s throat as he pushed Tom away, “You know what? You shouldn’t! You shouldn’t love me! I am a monster Tom; a fucking monster!” Angry, Bill bolted toward his room; no longer able to look into Tom’s eyes and see the hurt that was filling them.

“Bill wait!” Tom yelled as Bill ran away. Bellowing his own cry of frustration, Tom turned and punched the wall. The aging dry wall crumpled underneath his knuckles and Tom cursed as he dislodged his hands from the chalky mess. “Fuck my life.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The plan to take the catacombs into the city had gone off without too many issues. A few young fiends had been squatting outside one of the entrances but the foursome had easily dispatched them and left their burning corpses behind them as they wandered into the dark depths of the underground.

However, Bill still refused to speak to Tom and Georg had been given the task of holding his leash as they had began to call the length of colorful climbing rope tied around Tom’s neck.

Gustav and Bill led the way through the seemingly endless maze of aging metal and concrete piping. Water dripped down the walls and pooled on the floor in stagnate puddles that stank of mold and rotting plant life. Whatever idea Tom had had before of catacombs was shattered as he was pulled along like a sad puppy.

“I thought we were taking the catacombs into the city, not the sewers.” Tom whined as he pranced from one dryer spot of filthy concrete to another.

“Does the pretty human have a problem with dirt?” Georg asked sarcastically.

“Shut up!” Tom scowled, “And I don’t have a problem with dirt, I have a problem with germs. Do you realize we could get hepatitis in a place like this?”

Georg laughed, “Correction, you could get hepatitis in a place like this. The three of us have nothing to worry about.”

“Yeah, well that is exactly why I hate fiends.” Tom exhaled. Georg raised an eye brow and looked over his shoulder as if to say Oh really?. “Okay,” Tom admitted, “so it’s not the main reason but think about it. You’re like human cock roaches. The only way to kill you is shooting you in the head and sometimes that doesn’t even work. And we all saw what good the bio-bomb did to you guys.”

“And what would you know about the Bio-bomb? You couldn’t have been more then ten when they dropped it.” Georg pointed out.

“Well,” Tom explained, “it just so happened that the year they dropped the bio-bomb was the year when my parents decided to move out to Colorado where my sister lived. And it was the year they allowed me to start taking classes at the local shooting range. And I was twelve actually.”

Georg’s eyebrows knitted in confusion, “Let me get this straight, you’re parents let a twelve year old play with guns?”

Tom skirted a particularly nasty looking puddle with disgust, “I didn’t play with guns. I was training to kill William. Actually I started training when I was ten when my Dad put me in a mix martial arts club. But it wasn’t until I was older that they finally let me learn how to use a gun.”

Georg shook his head in disbelief, “You’re parents must have been so proud.”

“They told me that as long as I did well in school and didn’t do drugs they’d help me pursue any path I wanted to walk. They were a little shocked when I asked for a semi-automatic rifle for my thirteenth birthday though.” Tom chuckled as he recalled that particular conversation with his parents.

“Did they actually get you a semi-automatic rifle for your birthday?” Georg questioned hesitantly. Part of him almost didn’t want to picture a pre-teen Tom with a high caliber weapon.

Tom jumped over a tiny lake of murky water and fell against Georg momentarily before regaining his balance. “Well no, but I bitched about it for the next few months and they finally caved and gave me one for Christmas. I was so happy I think I almost cried.”

“I bet.” Georg responded even further wishing he could stop his mind from imagining a small Tom running around a Christmas tree in footy pajamas and carrying a loaded gun.

Luckily Tom changed the subject, unluckily it was on a topic Georg really didn’t want to talk about, “So back to the bio-bomb, were you and Bill and everyone in the City when they dropped it?”

Georg cringed, “No, at the time we were still in D.C.”

“When did you guys move up there?” Tom asked

“A year later when William was crowned King of the fiends.” Georg sighed, even thinking about that particular event sent shivers down his spine.

“Wait, William is your King? What’s that like?” Tom pressed.

Georg thought about it for a moment and then looked a head of them to make sure Bill and Gustav were still somewhat out of hearing distance. “He was King. He stepped down five years ago. And as for your second question, well , it was a little like the reign of King Lewis the fourteenth.

“Wow, no wonder there were so many pictures of him.” Tom commented in mild amazement, “Too bad he always wore that damn ask though. It would have saved me a lot of time if I knew what he actually looked like.”

“You have no clue.” Georg whispered under his breath.

“What was that?” Tom asked

Georg was about to respond when Gustav ran around the corner and made a bee line for Tom, “Shut the hell up! We’ve got a raiding party heading down the tunnel and you either need to shut your trap and act like you’re taking it or we can treat you like a dog and gag you.”

“Both sound awful.” Tom groaned, “Where’s Bill?”

Gustav rolled his eyes and clapped a hand over Tom’s mouth, “What part of be quiet didn’t you understand? Georg grab a shirt and some duct tape out of your pack. And Bill can take care of himself, he’s not as powerless here as you think.”

Tom struggled as George and Gustav maneuvered the tee-shirt into his mouth and trapped it there with tape but somehow when Tom hadn’t been paying attention Gustav had bound his hands and it made fighting back difficult; it only took the pair a few moment to do their job.

Anger seeped out of Tom’s every pore. He hated being tied up when sex wasn’t involved, mostly because it led to rope burn and bruises. Both of which are no fun when you don’t have an orgasm to cheer up the memory. Georg and Gustav looked at him sympathetically for a moment but then proceeded to yank his leash and pull him down the tunnel where up ahead they could hear Bill chatting socially with a someone.

Bill was laughing coyly as Tom was dragged around the bend in the tunnel. Seven fiends stood in the tunnel in sleek black Kevlar body suits and wearing glossy motorcycle helmets. Tom scanned them for weapons and wasn’t surprised when he found at least one dangerous object strapped to almost every limb. When Bill had said raiding party earlier he hadn’t expected a special opts team. He had imagined them being like rough grungy modern day pirates or something like that.

Tom’s musing was shattered however when Bill laughed once again, “Oh Bushido, you haven’t changed at all. We’ll have to get together sometime while I’m in town.”

Tom’s eyes went wide with a sudden wave of jealousy as the only man not wearing a helmet leered at Bill, “Of course, it’s been so long since I’ve gotten to get to know you better.”

Bill‘s cheeks flushed with color that he laughed off, “It certainly has been a very long time.”

The man Bill had identified as Bushido leaned in to Bill, his lips dangerously close to Bill’s. Tom was seething with possessiveness and his need to assert his dominance over this man. His fists were clenched tight enough that his nails were biting into his palms.

“Calm down,” Georg whispered in his ear after Tom began to struggle with his bonds once again.

Luckily, one of the men in Bushido’s group spoke, “Sir, the helicopter is waiting for us.”

“Right,” Bushido replied but did not remove himself from the closeness he had created with Bill. “Well, until then.” Bushido smiled and lifted Bill’s hand and kissed his knuckles.

Bill smiled weakly in return and pulled his hand away, “Yes, until then.”

Bushido finally straightened up and looked at his men, “Alright people, let’s move out, double time.” The fiends began to run past them with Bushido picking up the rear and calling out cadence.

When Bill was sure the small army was out of hearing range he screamed and started to wipe his hand against his jeans, “Ahhh, I hate that man so much! It‘s like every time I run into him he undresses me with his eyes.”

“Why are you so surprised. It’s probably because he actually has undressed you.” Georg mad a dig. Bill just glared and huffed away.

Gustav rewarded his comment with a slap to the back of the head, “Nice going dumb ass. Well guess what, It’s my turn to walk the dog so you go deal with the mess you made.”

“What?” Georg whined. Gustav responded with a fierce but silent look. “Fine. But if he tries to kill me I’m blaming you.”

Georg ran off toward Bill as Gustav turned to look at a livid Tom. “And before I take the gag out and you have a hissy fit, let me explain. Bushido was the head of William’s security under me. Bill messed around with him a few times but nothing ever came out of it. He’s actually not that bad of a person he just has no concept of a personal bubble. He’s not worth killing. Okay? Now I’m going to take the gag out but you have to promise to be quiet. Do you promise?”

Tom nodded his head vigorously.

Cringing for Tom, Gustav began to remove the duct tape from Tom’s skin. “Sorry, I forgot how well this stuff worked.” Tom whined in pain as the tape pulled on his skin and tiny bits of stubble. “Ok, so maybe if we pull it off real fast like a band aid…” Gustav offered  
______________________________________________________________________________

It had been an hour since Gustav had attempted to rip his skin off and Tom’s lips were still tingling. However other then the initial bought of cursing in pain he hadn’t spoken since and it was driving him insane. The only noise was the dripping of water as it seeped through cracks in the ceiling and the occasion scurry of rats. It made Tom’s skin crawl to think about all the diseases he could catch.

Bill and Georg were still about twenty feet a head and Tom tried to preoccupy his mind with watching the smooth sway of Bill’s hips as he sauntered down the tunnel. But to his dismay, his distraction was causing his body to react in a very unhelpful manner which made walking not as much fun.

Finally the silence was too much to bare. “Gustav, can I ask you a question?” Tom asked.

“I don’t know, can you? I mean, you just asked me one and you did ok with that so I hope you can manage another.” Gustav teased

Tom rolled his eyes. “This is serious. It’s about Bill. He’s been acting weird.”

“You’ve known him for like two days. How would you know what normal Bill is like?” Gustav pointed out.

“I just know ok.” Tom spat, “Now tell me why he’s all wound up!”

Gustav groaned, “Fine, no need to get you’re panties in a bunch. Look I promised Bill I wouldn’t tell.”

Tom growled in frustration, “But that’s not fair. It’s like he’s punishing himself and I just want to know how to stop that, but no one is willing to help.”

“We’re all willing to help Bill. Don‘t you think we‘ve tried?” Gustav replied, “Yeah, Bill is punishing himself because of the things he’s done. You should know that he wasn’t always the person he is now. He used to he a pretty awful person, in fact. He killed for blood almost daily, he had most of the fiends in the City under his thumb in some way, shape, or form, and he had no respect for human life at all. He used to say that humans were out dated and deserved to be treated like yesterday’s newspaper. But he’s not like that anymore. He’s changed.”

“What made him change?” Tom questioned.

“He fell in love with a human slave five years ago.” Gustav laughed at the memory.

Tom stopped in his tracks, “What? He fell in love? What happened? Why isn’t he with him still?”

Again, Gustav chuckled as he pulled on Tom’s rope to make him start walking again. “It wasn’t a him. He was in love with a girl. Pretty face, coke bottle curves, but not like anyone Bill had ever gone for before. She hated Bill. Called him a monster for all the things he did and refused to let him anywhere near her throat. But Bill refused to believe that someone couldn’t fall for his charm; after all he was the top dog at the time, so he tried everything to woo her and make her fall under his spell. But nothing worked and it back fired because it only caused Bill to fall head over heels for her. She said the only way she would ever let him near her throat was if he grew up and remembered he had been human once too.

“He wanted to make her his queen of the night, but she told him she would rather kill herself then be with a disgusting monster like him. He was so angry that he went through out the entire mansion and killed every single human except for her. Later he said that he was trying to prove to her that he could kill her just like he could kill any other human.”

Tom was puzzled, “So what’d she do?”

Gustav licked his lips and shook his head, “Well, it seems Bill really loves the stubborn ones because she even refused to allow Bill to have the power of life or death over her. So she killed herself in Bill’s bed room. She cut her own throat on Bill’s bed and let the blood spray everywhere. Everything was covered in blood. I’ve never seen Bill so shaken.

“She left him a note too saying something about how she did love him, but not the him the everybody else saw. She had loved the human part of him, the part that didn’t want to be a monster. And so the next day, Bill came to my room and told me and Georg that we were leaving the City and that he was never drinking blood again. He gave up everything that day and he’s never looked back.”

Tom didn’t quite know what to say, “So…wow. So how does that effect the current situation?”

“I haven’t got a clue actually. But, hopefully, you’ll keep all of this in mind when you figure out what the situation really is.” Gustav offered. “And Tom, you better figure it out fast, because the longer it takes, the harder it‘s gonna be on Bill.”

Tom was about to ask why when there was yelling up ahead. Bill and Georg had reached the entrance to the church and even though Tom was still confused about what he was going to do with Bill, he knew that he was now one step closer to killing William and after that everything would be better. He just knew it.  
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High vaulted ceilings and delicate arches for stone stretched out above Tom as he stood before the once gleaming alter of St. Patrick’s. Tom had heard stories about this place as a child but he never imagined he would ever set foot in it.

The late after noon sun shot though beautifully crafted windows of blue glass and cast angelic shadows of colorful light down upon the rows of crimson covered pews. Looking over his shoulder, Tom made sure that his companions were preoccupied with their own endeavors. Georg and Gustav were whispering to one another about in the back of the church as they barricaded the main entrances while Bill seemed to have slipped off somewhere.

Judging that the coast was clear, Tom fretted with his lip ring as he pulled a worn rosary from his bag. A soothing wave of familiarity washed over him as he knelt and ran the blue plastic beads over his fingers. As he thumbed the beads over his hands he murmured the many prayers he had memorized as a youth. And when he had gone through each bead and verse he let his own thoughts find their way to his lips. He prayed not to God or any deity that had a name but to the over arching higher power. He prayed for protection, for guidance, and above all things for Bill.  
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Bill sat in the choir balcony above the cathedral and glared at the untouched bottle of Synthe in his hands. The liquid was staring back at him tauntingly. It was so red and thick and even though he knew when it hit his mouth the mixture would be cool and grainy, unlike blood, right now it looked just like the real thing.

Disgusted, Bill chucked the bottle down the stairs hoping it would brake something. Bill covered his face with his hands and growled in frustration. The weight of his true identity was becoming too heavy and he half way longed for the truth to come out. But his heart refused to allow the words that needed to be said to escape him and once again on the verge of tears Bill let himself fall against the stone wall and slide down to the floor.

Bill had never believed in God. His parents had made him go to church on principle that it made the family look better and gave his father a few more votes. But he had never in his life ever felt the need to pray. And although he knew that if there was a heaven and a hell and he was most likely going to the latter, there was one person he knew in his heart had made it to heaven.

Shaking, Bill reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled and stained letter. Tremors ran though his hands as he opened the folded pages. He did not read the words, he merely ran his finger tips over the ink knowing what each faint intent from the pen meant.

Sorrow and confusion seemed about to over whelm Bill as he reread the hate filled words in his mind. Finally he began to speak, “Hey Jen, I know that I never treated you the way I should have. I never treated anyone the way I should have. And losing you was probably the only way I ever would have been able to see that. I’m so sorry that it had to be that way. You didn’t deserve to die. And I don’t except you to listen to me; but please, Jen, please listen. I’m so lost here.

“God, I don’t know what to do Jen. I’m head over heels again and I don’t want to mess up the way I did with you. I don’t want to be a monster. I don’t want to be William. I’ve done horrible things and because of those things Tom has every right to kill William. So when he finds out who I am he‘s probably going to stake me and if he doesn’t he’ll for sure leave me and right now I don’t know what’s worse; a life without Tom or death? Both sound about the same to me.”

Bill stifled a sob and buried his face into his knees. “I wish you were here to tell me what to do.”

Tom had prayed and put his rosary away by the time Georg and Gustav had begun to prepare a dinner of canned fruit and communion wine.

“You guys are going to hell.” Tom joked as he sat down and picked up a can of mandarin oranges.

Georg shrugged and took a swig of wine from a chipped goblet, “Most likely, after all we are beating cheeks under the sheets.”

“Yikes,” Tom chuckled, “That’s not a happy image.”

Georg flicked a chunk of peach at Tom, “Screw you! I happen to like bumping uglies with my man! Isn‘t that right Gusti?”

Gustav nodded his head as he continued to eat his fruit cocktail. “Yep, you love it.”

“Could you sound any less excited about our sex life?” Georg exasperated

It took Gustav a moment to reply, “Probably, but that would just lead to a lack of a sex life so I’m going to say no and cross my fingers.”

Georg’s response was another flying peach chunk, this time aimed at Gustav’s face, “You’re lucky I love you.”

Gustav smiled and leaned in to kiss Georg sweetly, “I know, I love you too.”

“Hey, get a room!” Tom joked as he popped a slippery orange bit into his mouth and munched on it happily.

Georg flipped him off while Gustav continued to assault his lips with his own.  
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After finishing off several cans of preserved fruit, maybe a few pieces used as ammo in the small but not unimportant war of Tom versus Georg, Tom began to feel the heaviness of Bill’s absence from the group. Leaving Georg and Gustav to clean up the remains of fruit bits, Tom went in search of his disgruntled lover. As if sensing Bill’s aura, Tom knew automatically where to find Bill and as he ascended the stairs to the balcony he could hear Bill talking.

“Jenny, I promise, I won’t let William hurt anyone ever again. As far as I’m concerned he’s dead. And soon Tom will make sure he really is.” Saying this, Bill fell into another bout of hysterics and tears.

At the top of the stairs Tom shook his head and took a seat next to Bill on the floor. “Come on Billi. Don’t cry.” Attempting to comfort his distraught lover Tom wrapped his arms around Bill’s thin frame and pulled him closer. “You can tell me anything; anything in the whole wide world and nothing would change the way I feel about you if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“You don’t understand!” Bill mumbled into Tom’s shirt, “It’s awful. I deserve to die.”

“You don’t deserve to die Bill.” Tom chuckled as he rubbed Bill’s back. “Come on tell me what’s wrong.”

Sniffling, Bill lifted his head from Tom’s shoulder and looked into his eyes. “Tomi, would you love me even if my name was something different?”

Tom smiled, “Of course silly. What’s in a name? Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet? At least I think that’s the quote. I could be wrong but yeah, same basic principal.”

“I’m breaking down and you’re quoting Shakespeare. That’s a new one.” Bill replied.

“Hey, don’t knock many years of private education. That’s right, not only am I breathtakingly handsome, I’m smart too.” Tom preened. Bill chuckled softly and tried to stop the corners of his lips from rising. “Yep, I’m totally a way better catch then that lumbering gorilla in Kevlar could ever be.”

“Are you referring to Bushido?” Bill asked as he rubbed tears from his eyes.

Tom rolled his eyes melodramatically, “Was that his name? Oh dear, I was under the impression that all meat head special forces wanna-be’s had to be called something like Dave or Kurt or big foot.”

“Hey, be nice.” Bill laughed, batting away Tom’s face as he nuzzled against Bill’s throat.

Tom smirked happily as he continued to tease his lips against Bill’s neck and jaw. “ Why should I? He was trying to get fresh with my man. I think I could have taken him.”

Bill rolled his eyes and finally submitted to Tom’s prodding. “Of course you could have.”

“Yep, but we were pretending that I was your ‘slave’ so I had to stay in character.” Tom boosted, “Other wise I would have kicked his ass. And you know what I would have done after that?”

“What?”

Tom’s eyes darkened with lust as he pushed Bill down onto the cool hardwood beneath them. Tom straddled Bill’s thin hips and pressed his body against Bill’s, “Hmm, well, then I would have had to throw you over my shoulder and take you to the nearest clean surface and have my way with you.”

“I’ll have to find you one of those tents that are hermetically sealed.” Bill teased

“Really?” Tom’s eyes lit up in childish excitement, “If you did I’d love you forever!”

Bill lifted his head up to kiss Tom, “I thought you already were going to love me forever.”

Tom grinned from ear to ear, “I am going to love you forever. No matter what. I love you Bill…” Tom paused, “This may be coming a bit late but what is your last name?”

Suddenly the cloud Bill had been floating on turned gray once more. Bill pushed Tom off of him and stood up. Tears welled up in his eyes and he gave Tom a watery smile. “Tom, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a few days now but I could never seem to make the words come out. But I’ve realized that even if it could ruin everything, you deserve to know.”

Tom got up and wrapped his arms around Bill. “I’m all ears Billa.” Tom encouraged

Bill smiled weakly, his eyes closing and his forehead moving to rest against Tom’s. Softly, Bill whispered into the small space where their breath mingled, “Tom, I need to tell you who I really am. Because you were right, I love you and so my business is your business. Tom,” Bill flattered; his heart racing like it was trying to beat it’s way out of his chest.

“You can do it Bill.” Tom murmured as his hands came up to cradle Bill’s face, “I’m right here.”

It had grown darker as night began to fall and looking at Tom, Bill smiled as the last rays of sun light sparkled in Tom’s honey colored eyes and Bill felt a wave of love and support wash over him. Bill licked the nervousness form his lips and took a few more moments to memorize every detail of Tom’s smiling face, “Tom, my real name is…”

Bill was cut off. A mass of chaotic laughter suddenly echoed through the church like demonic church bells. “What the fuck?” Tom exclaimed.

An icy chill ran down Bill’s spine as the laughter continued to ring. He knew this sound and it made his stomach churn. “Dear God, no, no, no, no, no!” Bill worried

“Bill, get behind me.” Tom cautioned as the shadows themselves began to twist and move around them.

“It won’t matter who’s behind whom Tomi. When the Phantoms find something they want they take it.” Bill

“Phantoms?” Tom questioned, his guns at the ready.

The laughter was growing in volume and Bill jumped when a few gun shots went off below them in the main part of the cathedral. “Shit! They’re monsters who work for the King; circus freaks turned fiend. When the king wants something they get it for him no matter what. Kind of like demonic personal shoppers.”

Tom took a couple shots at a shadow that flashed past the door to the balcony, “Can I kill them?”

“No one‘s been able to before but yes. ” Bill asked

Another round of bullets left Tom’s gun before he answered, “Good to know.”

Bill drew his gun and fired rapidly as something somersaulted though the air above them. “Tomi, duck!

Tom hit the floor as a bullet whizzed past his head and hit something behind him. The warm slash of blood on Tom’s back told him it had been flesh. But he had no time to worry about that.

Rolling onto his stomach, Tom shot through Bill’s legs at two fiends with Mime white face who were crawling on the balcony. Both fiends received a bullet to the cranium that ushered forth a horrid screeching from their throats as they crumpled in pain and slid back into the shadow of the stairwell.

“Yes,” Bill I got two!” Tom declared in victory

“You did nothing of the sort.” Bill corrected him as he pulled Tom to his feet. “Come on we have to go find the G’s”

Several shots below reminded Tom that Georg and Gustav were also in the fire fight. “What? But I shot two of them on the stairs.”

“Are they there now?” Bill asked as they rushed toward the staircase

Tom looked fervently as they flew downwards, “That’s impossible. I shot them in the head, where’d they go?”

“Did I mention they were circus freaks before they were infected?” Bill inquired with a worried smile.

Together they bolted down the stairs as a chorus of gun fire vibrated through the cathedral. Bill stopped at the end of the stairs and tried to spot Georg and Gustav. It wasn’t hard. The pair were back to back and firing their rifles off like madmen as the shadows of twilight were closing in. “Shit, they have Georg and Gustav surrounded. Any ideas?”

Bill received no answer and a soft wind rushed behind him. “No!” he whispered in shock. Bill spun around and could see nothing but devouring black. “Give him back!” He screamed at the darkness.

The twisted laughter of a child responded, “Why should we?”

“Because he’s mine!” Bill bellowed with hate and anger boiling his blood.

The laughter grew louder once again and this time when the voice came back it wasn’t alone, “This is the King’s City. Everything here belongs to him. We claim him for our King! He‘ll be so pleased we found him something pretty.” With that the laughing grew and then dissipated like the wind.

Bill flew toward the large doors and threw them open like they were made of cardboard. In the distance he hear the crackling of their twisted laughter and the blazing roar of motorcycles. “Fuck!”

Georg and Gustav came barreling out of the church moments later. “What the hell was that?!” Gustav spat. “Why the hell did we just get attacked by the Phantoms?”

“They were looking for something pretty.” Bill spoke, his voice cold and unfeeling.

“Wait, where’s Tom?” Georg asked in a panic.

“Pack up and put on something nice.” Bill ordered as he walked back into the church, “We’re going to go see the King.”

Georg and Gustav immediately obeyed and ran off. With fury burning in his chest, Bill turned at looked one more time toward the east. The moon had risen and was a bloody red on the horizon. “Ready or not Andi, here I come.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm pretty sure I cried while writing this, so be prepared for the feels.

Tom’s eyes fluttered open to the dim light coming in from a source above him. Groaning, he tried to roll his shoulders to release the tightness that was coiled there, but his wrists were bound with shackles preventing him from any real movement.

“Ah, Fuck.” Tom exhaled; pulling on the chains that held him to the wall, testing their strength and finding no give in them.

Tom blinked a few more times and allowed his eyes to adjust. When he looked up he could see the bars of a sewer grate slating through the beam of light. Huffing, Tom looked around him. The cell was dimly lit but it gave him just enough light to see his surroundings. The walls looked wet and shiny. Black and green moss grew up toward the faint warmth of the sun. It stank of stagnate water and piss. “Eww, I’m definitely going to get hepatitis.”

Scrunching up his nose at the stench, Tom once again tested the strength of his bonds. The rusting iron bit into his wrists and he could feel bruises and lacerations blossoming there. “Great now I’m going to get tetanus too.” Tom complained to himself.

“A germaphobe, how cute. By the way, it’s useless to try and break your chains. So many try to escape and it’s just heart breaking when they finally give up.” A smooth voice spoke from the shadows.

Tom looked into the darkness for the owner of the voice, “Come out where I can see you.” There was a chuckle in the dark and then a man stepped into the light. He was young looking; his golden blond hair was slicked back with too much product and when he smiled Tom could make out a set of fangs. Tom already hated the youth. “Who the fuck are you?”

“So demanding for someone who’s in chains.” The fiend smiled and took a bow, “But if you must know my name is Andreas but my friend’s call me Andi. It’s a pleasure to meet you. And what would your name be?”

“None of you’re god damn business, that‘s what it is. Where’s Bill?” Tom demanded.

“Bill?” Andi thought aloud, “I don’t recall capturing a human named Bill.”

Tom growled and fought with his shackles, “He’s not a human, he’s a fiend and he was probably captured by the those fucking phantoms.”

“Oh yes, my phantoms, aren’t they just precious? But I’m sorry who ever you are, I’m not really into the business of capturing fiends.” Andi explained while he stalked forward and brought his face close to Tom’s neck, “No, I’m much more into capturing humans, especially pretty one‘s like you. After all a fiend has to get blood somewhere. And drinking from a fiend, well that would almost be cannibalism.” Andi finished it off by running his tongue up the thick artery in Tom‘s neck.

“Bite me fucker, I dare you!” Tom challenged, still struggling with his bonds.

Andi laughed and took a few steps back, “Oh, it would be fun I’m sure but sadly, you’re not for me. No, I have bigger plans for you. William will just love you. He always did like a challenge.” Tom responded by kicking Andi full force in the groin.

“I’ll show you a challenge!” Tom spat.

Andi snarled like a wild beast and slapped Tom across the face. “How dare you touch me vermin!”

Tom spat on Andi, “Fuck you!” And was rewarded with another back hand.

Andi grabbed Tom by his braids and yanked on them harshly; bringing his lips to Tom’s ear. “You humans are disgusting. You run about this world trying to be the biggest scariest things out there but when you finally manage it, when you finally find the cure to all your weaknesses you got scared and label it a disease. You try to killed it off. You’re pathetic weaklings who deserve to be offered up as a sacrifice to those of us who are better then you. We are the new number one species on this earth now. We are at the top of the food chain. And you, you are just cattle that I will use to create my empire.”

With that Andi turned to leave. Tom licked the blood from his lower lip and managed to look up and see Andi pausing at the door where Tom could barely make out two men standing. “I’m afraid this meat is just a little too tough. Could you boys please tenderize it for me. But be careful, William only drinks from the pretty ones and I want his face intact.”

The henchmen grunted in response as Andi left. Tom glared daggers at the men who now entered his prison, “Bring it on.”  
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Bill led the way toward the mansion. There was a fire burning in his chest and as he drove closer toward his destination the flames grew hotter. Georg and Gustav kept their distance at a safe twenty feet behind him.

“Gustav do you think this is a good idea? I mean, Bill’s not really the negotiation type. He’s more of the beat your face in to a bloody pulp until he gets what he wants type.” Georg reminded his companion. “And if we get there and Tom’s not well… in the same state as he was when he was taken then Bill’s not going to take it well. What if he kills Andi?”

Gustav snorted uncaring, “Then he kills Andi. Serves the fucker right. Especially after what he’s done to the kingdom. Our people are dying from starvation and he does nothing but sit on his throne and drink the lower fiends dry. He’s banned the use of Synthe here. We’re criminal in our own country Geo.”

George stopped swerving through debris and turned to look at his lover, “Where is my Gustav and what have you done to him?”

“I don’t know what you‘re talking about.” Gustav chuckled.

Georg eyed Gustav for a few moments before turning on his heels and walking after Bill who seemed to be running on pure adrenaline. After a few steps Georg looked over his shoulder and reached back for Gustav’s hand. “Come on, I’m being serious. Why the sudden concern for the fate of fiend-kind? Most of the time you despise anything that has to do with politics.”

Gustav shrugged and laced his fingers with Georg’s, “I really don’t know. I guess the reason I hate coming back here is that each time we do everything is just getting worse. It’s sad to see how far we’ve fallen as a race.”

“May I remind you that things weren’t much better when Bill was King? We may have been living in luxury but the lesser fiends were in just as bad a position as they are today.” Georg pointed out.

“But at least then it wasn’t illegal to drink Synthe. I mean, do you remember the fiend we killed when he found Tom? He was so far gone there was no way we could have saved him but did you look at his clothing? They were dirty and ripped but they were all designer brands. And when I was planting charges on the safe…” Gustav paused, his eye brows knitted together with dark thoughts.

“What happened Gustav?”

Gustav looked Georg straight in the eyes, “There were claw marks on the safe. He knew there was Synthe there. That was a high society fiend and he was forced to go into the back woods to try and find food. It’s not just the lesser class fiends anymore. The blood shortages are affecting even the rich.”

“No wonder Bushido and his storm troopers need a helicopter.” Georg mused.

Gustav chuckled softly and rolled his eyes, “Don’t even get me started, babe.”

“No, go on.” Georg encouraged with a smile, “This new interest you have… it’s kind of hot.”

Gustav smirked, “Oh, well if that’s the case then things seriously need to change. And some how we‘re going to have to find a way to get Andi off the throne…”

“Oh Gusti, take me!”  
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The mansion loomed out in front of the trio like a haunted house at Disney world. The decaying white columns that wrapped around the front of the house were over taken with ivy, paint that had once been pristine white was blackened with rot, and the once gleaming stained glass dome that roofed the grand ballroom now was cloudy and grey with dust and cobwebs.

A strange sort of shiver ran down Bill’s back and awoke a sense of great loss in him that made him almost want to cry. He had lived in the mansion for several years and it had always been immaculate. Now it was practically in ruin.

“Bill…” Georg started as he placed a comforting hand on Bill’s arm.

“I left him in charge so that he would take care of my home. And I come back to find this?” Bill was in shock. Renewed anger now seethed through Bill’s veins. “How could he? How could he have let it get this bad?!”

Gustav came around and placed himself between Bill and the house. “Bill, relax.”

A deep snarling growl leapt from Bill’s lips. “Fuck you!” Pushing Gustav out of the way, Bill stormed up the stone steps toward the tarnished double doors.

Gustav stumbled from the sheer force of Bill’s hand and fell into Georg’s arms. Panicked, the pair looked at each other, their thoughts all screaming the same thing, “Shit!”

Bill grabbed the handle to the door and found it locked. Growling in annoyance, Bill tore the artistically curved metal from the door frame, the heavy iron bolt whining as Bill ripped it through the hard oak.

“ANDI!” Bill bellowed, as he kicked the splintering door apart.

Georg and Gustav had managed to detangle themselves as Bill stalked into the foyer. They scrambled after him.

Bill was practically breathing fire as he entered the remains of his palace. But his arrival was not met with ease. Turning toward the grand hall, six guards blocked his path with guns at ready. Bill was running on auto pilot. Giving another blood curdling growl, Bill unleashed his pent up anger upon them.

The guards opened fire but Bill was already on top of them. Grabbing one of the flanking soldiers, Bill used him as a shield before throwing his bullet riddled body to the floor and axe kicking the nearest assailant in the head. The fiend’s skull creaked with a sickening wet noise. Taking hold of another’s weapon. Bill slammed the butt of the rifle into the girl’s face and smiled as her nasal bone shot up into he brain, killing her instantly.

Seeing the carnage Bill had brought down on them, the remaining three fiends dropped their weapons and turned to run. “Oh no you don’t!” Bill snarled.

Unslinging a rifle from one of his victims, and grabbing a shot gun off another, Bill took off after his prey as they fled. Flipping the switch to automatic on the rifle, Bill let loose a flurry of bullets that took down two of the fiends and sent the third falling to the marble floor as the bullet shot through his chest.

Stepping over the corpses of the others, Bill made his way to the dying fiend. He was young. Bill could still smell the blood of his sire on him.

“Please…” The fiend begged as he began to choke on blood as the gapping wound in his chest caused blood to fill his lungs.

Bill laughed, “Please? Please he says!” Suddenly Bill’s laughing face turned cold and twisted. “Please what?” he spat.

The fiend below him began to cry, “Please don’t kill me.” He coughed and crimson blood spattered Bill’s boots.

Before Bill could answer the sound of clapping broke in. Followed by a voice from behind Bill, “Bravo William, you always did know how to make an entrance.” Bill’s rifle was instantly trained on the new arrival.

Georg and Gustav had made it into the hall way, “Andi!?”

“My friends, how lovely of you to come visit me.” Andi beamed as if the hallway was not littered with his men’s corpses.

Andi sashayed over to Bill happily, shooing the gun out of his face, “And William, oh it’s so wonderful that you could make it for your birthday party. I have the most wonderful present for you. But I can’t tell you what it is; it’s a surprise. I bet you‘re just dying to know what it is though.” Andi babbled on like a child.

Bill responded by taking the shot gun and shooting the slowly healing fiend at their feet in the head. Blood and brain matter splattered across Bill and Andi’s fronts; a particularly large chunk sticking to Andi’s face.

Instantly, Andi’s childish demeanor changed and his ice blue eyes grew dark as he wiped the muck from his cheek. “You seem on edge William. What’s wrong?”

Bill’s voice was horse and strained as he struggled to keep himself from attacking his friend, “Where’s… Tom?”

“You know, people keep asking me where other people are today,” Andi smirked, “What do I look like a GPS for every fiend in New York?”

“Human!” Bill screamed, “Tom is a human. He’s tall with black hair and he has eyes the color of burnt sugar; and when he looks into your eyes, you can see every star in the god damn galaxy! And your filthy Phantom’s took him away from me!”

Andi sighed and feigned a thought. “Hmm, well the Phantom’s do bring me all sorts of humans. I suppose they could have brought me one like the one you’re looking for. How about you three relax, rest, take a shower. I’ll go look for your missing pet and I’ll tell you as soon as I find him. After all, it‘ll do you no good to be running without fuel you might say.”

Georg and Gustav walked over to Bill. “Bill, as much as I hate saying this, Andi’s right.” Gustav whispered.

“Come on Bill, we both know you’re itching for a shower. Besides we all need some sleep and food.” Georg added.

Bill locked eyes with Andi, “Fine, we’ll stay and rest, but we’re leaving as soon as we get Tom back.”

“Perfect!” Andi smiled, “Well, enjoy yourselves, Megan will show you to your rooms. Bill, I’ve left the master suit just the way you left it.”

A young petite blond entered the hallway followed by an even younger boy. “This way please.”

“Come on Bill,” Georg ushered when Bill refused to move.

“You better find him Andi. If you don’t find him… you’ll be having trouble finding your limbs.” Bill threatened.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Andi replied, swallowing a sudden shiver of fear.

Smirking at his affect on Andi’s nerve, Bill turned and began to follow Georg and Gustav as Megan led them away.

Andi remained standing over the mutilated corpse of his solider. “Justin…” The young boy stepped forward.

“Yes, your highness?” Justin offered.

Andi turned to the boy and moved the swipe of caramel hair from the boy’s face as his pale fingers caressed the boy‘s blushing cheek. “Make sure everyone knows about the party tomorrow night. Our lost king has returned.”

“Right away your Majesty,” Justin nodded, “Sir, may I ask a question?”

“Of course.” Andi allowed as the pair began to walk away from the gore.

“Sir, pardon me if I’m over stepping, but isn’t the man they’re looking for the one we were going to give to King William at the party?” Justin asked hesitantly.

Andi smiled playfully, “That’s the thing. It appears we’re giving him a gift that was already had.”

Justin stood there puzzled, “Then, why don’t we just give him back to them now?”

“Where would be the fun in that?” Andi asked in glee. “Oh no, Justin, I have plans for my friends and their pet. And if things work out the way I want, perhaps we’ll finally be able to rid ourselves of the wandering prince of the night.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom collapsed to the grimy stone floor gasping for air. His body screaming at him in agony while large welts and bruises bloomed across his body. Chuckling, the two large fiends left the room, slamming the heavy door behind them. Tom looked up as they left him.

“Hey!” Tom yelled, “Hey, Tired already? Come on! Pussies!” Tom’s goading was halted by the his stomach churning. Rolling onto his side, Tom wretched, bitter watery white spittle surged over his lips onto the glistening stones. Fire burned up his lungs as he heaved, his body protesting against it’s own internal movement.

The slash of water raining down on him from the sewer grate high above spurred him to move. It was raining, pouring, and Tom dragged himself out of the cascade and onto the piss stained mattress in the corner.

As the pain of breathing again began to fade, the pain that was pulsing throughout the rest of his body began to make it’s self known. Tom groaned and lifted his shirt up to reveal is torso. Black and purple bruises with sickly yellow centers were blooming across his chest like pansies.

“Fuck me…” Tom half sobbed. Stiffness was seeping into his bones. It hurt to move. Tom’s heart beat in his chest like a sledge hammer; his blood pounding in his ears, and as the cold of the rain and night began to chill the air about him, Tom began to cry. “Bill…”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill sat at the window watching the rain run in little rivers down the glass. The sun was sun was setting and it lit up the rain clouds with red and golden light. In Bill’s mind it looked like the fires of hell had burst from the earth and were preparing to swallow them up. Even the rain as it fell down looked red in the dying light. It was raining blood.

Loathing had settled in the pit of his stomach and made the idea of food or Synthe unbearable. He knew he should drink, the small prickling of need was beginning to grow in the back of his throat. But each time he brought the crimson liquid to his lips Tom’s face would flash before him and he could not bare to drink.

For hours, Bill sat there at the window, his freshly washed hair drying into soft waves around his face. Each moment seeming longer then the last. He waited, longing for Tom.

Georg woke him from his trace. “Bill, are you okay?”

Bill looked up at his friend with a watery smile. “Georg, I didn’t hear you come in. I’m fine.”

“Then why are you crying?” Georg asked with concern written all over his face.

“Am I?” Bill asked as he brought his finger tips to his cheeks. To his surprise, there was wetness on his cheek.

“Bill, Andi will find Tom. He may not be the best king but he’s still our friend.” Georg reassured him.

Bill sighed and pulled his knees up to his chest, “I know, but that doesn’t stop me from thinking that this is all my fault. If I had just told him who I was at the start, none of this would have happened.”

Georg rolled his eyes and took a seat next to Bill on the window seat. “Bill, if you had told him, you would be dead. I can assure you of that. Tom is a weird kid. Did you know that his parents let him have a gun when he was nine. That’s a little creepy.”

A small chuckle shivered across Bill’s lips. “Sounds like Tom. He’s gonna be okay isn’t he Geo?”

“He’ll be fine.” Georg smiled, rubbing a hand up and down Bill’s arm comfortingly. “Besides, I think that kid would fight his way through hell if it meant being with you.”

Bill blushed and hid his face half way behind his knees, “You think so?”

Georg laughed softly, “I know so.”

“Thanks Geo!” Bill smiled before throwing his arms around his best friend. “You’re the best!”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom was woken up by a swift kick to his ribs. “Wake up!”

“Fuck!” Tom gasped in pain.

As his eyes adjusted to the gray light filling the room, Tom could make out Andi standing over him.

“What the fuck do you want, asshole!” Tom growled as he sat up. Now that he was waking up the weight oh his shackles and his stiff muscles made his head swim.

“You know I really wish I could kill you.” Andi sneered. “But fortunately for you I need you so I can crush whatever dreamy eyes hope my people have that William will take the throne again.”

Tom shook the dizziness from his head, “What are you talking about?”

“Nothing that concerns you…yet.” Andi replied, “All you have to do is stay locked up here nice and tight until I need you. Oh and I need this.”

With a swift hand, Andi reached out and grabbed Tom by the hair. Tom screamed out in pain as he was dragged to his knees. Taking a pair of sheers from his back pocket, Andi quickly snipped off one of his braids before pushing Tom back onto the stinking mattress.

“Thank you!” Andi chimed happily and then turned to strut out of the room, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind him.

Groaning, Tom brought his hand to the end of his newly sheered braid. “Mother fucker!”  
______________________________________________________________________________

“So how long’s it been since Tom was taken?” Bill asked somewhat nervously as he paced back and forth.

Gustav covered his face with his hands and let them slide down in frustration, “In hours or minutes?” Bill flashed him a venomous glare. “Fine. I’m guessing almost 24 hours.”

“You know,” Georg spoke up between bites of chicken. “They say that after the first 24 hours the likeliness of finding a missing person drops drastically.”

Gustav punched him in the arm, “Dude, not helping!”

Bill’s lower lip began to quiver. Whining, Bill sat down and laid his head onto the table before slowly starting to bang his forehead on the table. “I hate waiting.”

“Find something you can do to distract yourself.” Georg suggested.

Bill turned his head and looked at Georg. “Like what?” Bill asked as he rubbed the now sore red mark on his head.

Gustav shrugged, “When I’m bored I masturbate.”

“WHAT!?” Georg stammered.

“Why do you think I spend so much time in bathroom sometimes?” Gustav asked.

Georg blushed, “I thought… well I don’t know what I thought but… You’re a slut.”

Bill and Gustav burst out into laughter.

“Oh my God, I can’t believe you just said that!” Bill gasped  
“How am I a slut?” Gustav asked in between rib splitting laughter, “You’re the only person I’ve ever had sex with.”

“I hope you go blind.” Georg huffed which spurred another bout of laughter from his friends.

“I’m glad to see you guys relaxing for once.” Andi spoke, somehow appearing out of nowhere.

Bill and Gustav stopped laughing instantly. The trio springing to their feet at the ready for trouble.

Andi gave them a small smile and took a seat on the chaise lounge, “Jesus, talk about being on edge. I thought I had it bad and I have people trying to kill me once a week.”

“Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad if our people weren’t starving.” Gustav growled.

Andi rolled his eyes dramatically and exhaled, “If people aren’t strong enough to survive then they shouldn’t. And besides, once the weaklings are weeded out or race won’t have to worry about blood. It’ll be running in the streets. We’ll be strong enough to fight back the humans and take over. We’ll be the master race, just like we were intended to be.”

“That’s sick!” Bill stated in disbelief.

“That’s the real world, William!” Andi proclaimed, standing up and locking eyes with Bill. “I don’t see what the problem is, wasn’t it you who told me that fiends were the next step in evolution; and that like the humans did to the Neanderthals, the stronger race must destroy the weaker?”

Bill looked down in shame, “I’m not like that anymore.”

Andi chuckled smugly, “That’s right, you don’t drink human blood anymore. You have morals. Tell me Bill, when did you decide to turn your back on your own nature? When did you decide that being a traitor to your race was the best option?”

A fierce crack of flesh on flesh snapped through the room as Bill’s hand slapped across Andi’s face and sending Andi to the floor in pain. Bill‘s face remained as unfeeling as a stone. “How dare you accuse me of being a traitor. I am the one who gave you your crown and I can just as easily take it back. You are my friend, but if you insist on acting like a monster and treating us like enemies then I will have no problem with becoming one.”

Andi looked up at Bill with big sad eyes, his voice a pathetic whimper, “Forgive me William.” he begged, “It’s just that you’ve been gone for so long. I’ve had to deal with everything on my own. I don’t have any of you to protect me from the nobles. If they thought I was weak they would kill me. Please don’t be mad.”

“Stand up.” Bill ordered, “I refuse to have a friend grovel at my feet, especially one that is a king, however poorly of a job he’s doing.”

 

Andi, stood up with tears in his eyes, “So are we still friends?”

Bill looked back at Georg and Gustav who were looking at Andi suspiciously. “I suppose we are.” Bill responded, “For now.”

Andi’s face lit up with joy, “Oh, William you are so wonderful. You will be so happy at the ball tonight. It’s your birthday party after all. It’ll be just like it was when we were all friends back in high school.” Andi beamed before shooting Georg and Gustav a look, “Back when we didn’t have to worry about sleeping with one eye open.”

“Very well Andi we’ll be at your party. Now, what about Tom?” Bill inquired.

Andi’s face grew sad, “I’m afraid that I was too late to save him. I had no use for him and so I sent him to the slavers.” Slowly, Andi pulled out the black band of woven hair and gave it to Bill. “This was all I found of him. I’m sorry.”

Bill’s hands began to tremble as he held the ebony locks between his pale fingers. “Tom…”

“I think it’s time you left Andi.” Gustav instructed. Andi nodded and quickly retreated out the door as Bill collapsed into the chair behind him.

“What have I done?” Bill gasped.

Georg and Gustav hurried to his side, “Bill, breath, remember to breath.” Georg cooed.

Bill looked at Georg like he had offended him. “Breathing, fuck breathing! What’s the point of breathing if Tom can’t!” he screamed.

But suddenly Bill was finding it hard to breath, each rise and fall of his chest becoming more and more frequent and shallow. “TOM!” Bill screamed in mourning, the last bit of restraint falling, the sorrowful sound of Tom’s name signaling the crashing sound of Bill’s heart breaking.

Bill sobbed and cried out silently, clawing at his chest in anger and despair. And then there was black.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Georg and Gustav left Bill in bed. He had passed out after going into shock.

“What are we gonna do?” Georg asked after shutting Bill’s door quietly.

Gustav run his hands over his short hair and exhaled, “I don’t know. I mean… God. What are we suppose to do?”

“I’m as clueless as you. But I don’t like what’s going on here. Andi seems different. It’s like he’s on some power trip. And the way he talked about fiends being the master race, what was that?”

Gustav nodded, “I feel the same way. I think he’s lying about having to act strong for the nobles. And I think he’s pulling strings to get us where he wants us.”

A soft giggle came out of the darkness of the hall. “And you’re right.” Andi confirmed as he walked into the light. He was followed by eight soldiers in full gear. “You always were too perceptive for your own good Gustav. And Georg, it makes me sad that one have to be so in love with someone like him.”

Gustav stood in front of Georg protectively. “Leave Georg out of this. If you want to kill me that’s fine, but leave Georg alone.”

Georg gave a huff behind Gustav before stepping around him and staring Gustav straight in the eyes. “I’m not helpless you know. You don’t have to go around sacrificing your self to protect me. Besides, what am I supposed to do if your dead? Are Bill and I suppose to join a support group? Jesus.”

“Geo, this isn’t the time to be fighting about this.” Gustav hissed “Where about to get shot.”

“Well then let them shoot us, I don’t care, but I don’t like you treating me like a damsel in distress.” Georg countered.

Andi shook his head to break away from getting caught up in the bizarre lovers quarrel in front of him. “As entertaining as this is, I really don’t have time to deal with this right now. Take them to the basement. Give the love birds a nice little cage or something.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

The party swirled and blazed around Bill in a whirlwind of color and light. It was like reliving a memory. In the days when he had ruled the fiend youth, parties like this one had happened on every occasion. Women were dressed in flowing ball gowns in a rainbow of hues while men strutted about in finely tailored suits. And the room was buzzing with excitement for the return of the lost King.

Andi had woken Bill a few hours before and had made him get ready. And Bill had nodded numbly as AndI rushed his about from one place to another, the hair stylist, the make up artist, the tailor; and through it all Bill had acted like a ghost.

Bill sat at the front of the ballroom, on a chipped and mangled throne made of scrap metal. His hair was done up in new white and black dreads and his eyes were lined in thick clean swipes. His lips were lightly glossed and his skin was glowing. But despite the beauty that swarmed around him, Bill could not bring himself to do more then smile weakly at his guests. His heart was little more then a chunk of ice. Nothing seemed to matter anymore. Not without Tom.

“Come on William, let your fangs down.” Andi encouraged Bill, “Everyone’s here for you. Have fun. Live a little. Here have some.” A cup of warm blood was held close to Bill’s face and he flinched away from it.

“Come on William, It’s just a little blood. You don’t even have to bite anyone.” Andi pushed.

Bill pushed the cup away. “Where are Georg and Gustav? You said that they would be here.”

“Oh, I’m sure the little love birds are flittering around here somewhere. I bet they’re just hung up enjoying their time together.” Andi replied with a overly sweet smile.

“Could you find them for me Andi? Please, I need to talk to them.” Bill requested

Andi frowned for a moment, “Of course, but first how about just a sip? It‘ll help you loosen up?”

Bill turned away from the cup again, “Andi please. I don’t want any blood. I’m not hungry.”

Andi raised an eyebrow, “William Kaulitz, not hungry? William, if there’s one thing I know about you it’s that you’re always hungry for something. What is it? Is it Sex? There were a bunch of cute little things flitting around here. I’m sure we could find at least one to you’re liking.”

“I don’t want to have sex, Andi.” Bill sighed. He was miserable and just wanted to crawl back into bed. “I just want to…” Bill put his head in his hands and whined. What Bill really wanted was to rewind time and crawl right back into bed with Tom and hold on to him; feel Tom’s warm body beneath his, smell the musky robust scent that lingered on Tom’s skin, and taste Tom’s lips as they murmured his name. Bill began to fall into his own destructive fantasies, but Andi’s voice brought him back to the world that was crashing around him.

“What is it? Oh do tell me. ” An idea struck, “I know what will cheer you up. How about we bring you your birthday gift? I have to say, I was quite lucky to find it. It was kind of last minute. But I just know you’ll think it’s perfect.” Turning toward the crowd, Andi clapped and gave an exaggerated gesture, “My dear guests, it is time for William to receive his present.”

With smiles and murmurs of excitement the guests parted from the dance floor and two stately dressed fiends opened the large double doors at the back of the ballroom. “William, may I present, your birthday gift.”

The sound of chains dragging across polished floors filled the air and as three figures came around the corner Bill’s eyes went wide in shock and horror. Shackled with thick chains at his wrists and ankles, the shirtless and bruised body of Tom was being led into the room. His keepers stabbed at him with staffs when Tom didn’t shuffle fast enough and Tom stumbled; falling to the hard wood with a sickening crash.

“Tom!” Bill gasped; flying from his chair and running toward Tom who was shakily trying to get up again.

“William? What are you…” Andi questioned in mock confusion.

But Bill wasn’t listening, reaching Tom he wrapped his arms around his sweat glistening body and helped him sit up. “Tom! Tom you‘re alive?! Someone take off these chains! Now!”

Tom groaned and looked up at Bill confused as one of his handlers removed the shackles, “Bill? What’s going on?”

Bill pulled Tom to him and kissed his sweat glistening brow, running his hands though Tom’s tight braids. Bill buried his face into the crook of Tom’s neck took in Tom’s hot scent like it was his first breath of air after nearly suffocating. “I thought you were dead.” Bill wept. His heart was doing back flips in his chest. But a dark realization was dawning on him as the crowd grew tighter around them.

“Tom, I have to tell you something.” Bill whispered against Tom’s ear. “Something I should have a long time ago; about who I really am. You have to listen before…”

But before he could explain a loud clapping sounded through the hall, “Oh this is precious. So this is the Bill you were talking about. William you should have told me you had lost your human.”

“William?” Tom muttered and looked up at a heart broken Bill.

“I did tell you! You told me he was dead! And he’s not my human. He’s my…” Bill yelled at Andi who was making his way over to the pair in the center of the floor. “Tom, I tried to tell you. I did. I just didn’t want to lose you. I love you.”

Tom was in shock and staggered to his feet. He was starting to piece things together. “What are you talking about?”

Bill tried to speak but the words got caught in his throat. “Tom…I…”

“William, does your pet not know who you are?” Andi began to laugh as he came over to Tom and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “Tom was it? Allow me to introduce you to a dear friend of mine. Well I guess since by the looks of things you’re probably sleeping with him and that would mean you’re closer to him then I am, but I digress. Allow me to present his former royal highness, King of the fiends, William Kaulitz.”

Tom, who had been preoccupied with glaring daggers at the arm draped around him, slowly turned his head to look down at Bill. The air was stiff and muggy with utter silence and Tom’s heart beat was pounding like giant drums in his head. “What is he talking about Bill?” Bill kept his eyes on the floor, on the out of style shoes Andi was wearing, on the crowd who were whispering around them; anything as long as it was not Tom. “WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT!? LOOK AT ME!” Bill tried to speak but all that came out was air. Growling with frustration Tom grabbed Bill, making the shaking fiend come face to face with him. “I SAID LOOK AT ME GOD DAMN IT AND TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!”

“Yes, William, why don’t you tell the vermin what the ‘fuck’ is going on.” Andi sneered

“Shut the fuck up asshole.” Tom snapped at Andi. Bill was trembling in Tom’s grasp and Tom tried to stop his shaking by holding him closer, “Bill.” Tom whispered roughly, his hand coming up to caress Bill’s face, “Why does he keep calling you William Kaulitz?”

Bill’s eyes filled with tears, “Because I am William Kaulitz.”

The color in Tom’s face drained. “What?” Tom stammered. His arms fell from Bill’s body and he began to stagger away.

“Tom, you have to understand.” Bill begged, trying to hold onto Tom.

“No!” Tom screamed and pushed Bill away. “No! How could you? You lied to me!”

Bill continued to scramble for Tom, “I didn’t want to. I tried so hard to tell you the truth.”

“Like hell you tried!” Tom spat kicking Bill’s arms from where they had entwined themselves around his legs. “Get the fuck away from me! You knew that I was looking for you, to kill you, and you still lied about who you were.”

“I did it to protect you!” Bill proclaimed

Tom looked at Bill in shock and then buckled over in laughter, “To protect me? To protect me?” Tom’s laughter stopped on a dime and he walked over to Bill. In one quick movement Tom’s strong grip was around Bill’s throat. “You mean to protect you.” Tom growled, “We slept together. I had you writhing underneath me and do you have any clue how easy it would have been to just slip my hand around your throat and kill you? About as easy as it would be to kill you now?”

Bill was struggling to breath, “Tom, please…I lo…love..”

“What was that? You love me? Fuck you! If you truly loved me you would have told me from the start.” Tom tightened his grip on Bill’s neck. “Do you have any idea how long I have dreamed about this moment; about the moment where I kill you? I have had nightmares about what you did almost every single night for nearly fourteen years.”

“Tomi,” Bill sobbed, his nails biting into Tom‘s hands in a feeble attempt to remove them, “Tomi please don‘t. They‘ll…”

Tom began to put just the tiny bit more pressure required to fulfill his goal. Bill’s eyes pleaded, begging him to not commit the act that he had trained and dreamt about since he was six years old. Behind Bill he could see Andi smiling like the grotesque animal he was and behind him a mass of fiends who were now at alert and ready to attack. He let go.

Bill fell to the polished floor gasping for air. “You are a sick and disgusting monster!” Tom screamed, his voice raw and on the verge of tears he had been holding in since his very first encounter with Bill so many years ago. “I hate you William Kaulitz! I hope you spend the rest of your pitiful life knowing that you should have died and I let you live. But if I ever see you again, I swear to God, I will kill you.”

“Tomi,” Bill whimpered, his hand reaching out for Tom in desperation, grabbing at his baggy jeans.

Tom growled and stomped on Bill’s hand and causing a sickening crack to fill the silence. “Don’t you dare fucking touch me!”

Bill drew back his crippled hand and cradled it to his chest, only moments passing before it began to heal once again.

“Unless you want to die Tom,” Andi spoke up. “I would suggest that you leave.”

Tom could feel the rising tension in the room as the crowd began to grow heated. Taking one last look down at Bill’s quivering form, Tom turned and ran out of the room and out the large front door into the darkness of the City at night.


	5. Chapter 5

The cold harsh light of television static flooded the room as yet another porn came to a stop and Tom realized he was much too lazy to get up and turn the TV off. Especially since he had once again proved to himself he could never get hard again if it didn’t involve Bill.

He’d watched all twenty seven smut flicks that the hotel had had in stock when the owners had been forced to evacuate and not one of them had gotten him hot or bothered. Milf’s of the Suburbs had done nothing for him. Naughty School Girls Twelve hadn’t even caused his heart beat to pick up. And the scene in Kinky Vampire Nymphos Four where a girl got fuck up against a wall only reminded him that the last time he had been here he had fucked his vampire into the fucking wall and there was a dent there to prove it. Watching porn had done completely zero, null, zilch, nothing for him. But sleeping in the dirty sheets he and Bill had left behind from their last night together did. “Fuck it, I am a Bill-sexual. I‘m not drunk enough for this shit.”

He’d been holed up in the same crappy motel he had stayed in with Bill and the G’s one week before and had been wasted for most the time in between. Burping, Tom scratched his balls through his thin boxer shorts before reaching for the bottle of Jack he had been nursing.

“I need a chaser.” Tom groaned as he held the glass bottle of amber liquid up to the light. Grunting at the impact of his shoulder with the floor, Tom rolled off the bed, onto the carpet, and began to army crawl toward the mini fridge.

Tom groaned at the realization that he would probably end up with rug burn by the time he reached his destination, after all he was only wearing a pair of sheer black boxers with metallic dollar bill signs on them, but finding something cold to chase the burn of the whiskey seemed worth it in his hazy mind.

Smiling at his success, Tom finally made it to the small refrigerator and popped the door open. “Aha! Perfect!” Tom cheered and pulled out a chilled can of Bud Lite. Snickering, Tom sat up and leaned back against the plastic door of the mini fridge. He popped the tab of the beer and smiled stupidly as it began to foam and run over his hand.

Giggling, Tom slurped up the foam, licking the residue off his fingers. It was then that he remembered he also had a half empty bottle of Jack Daniel’s in his other hand. “Oh yeah.” Tom chuckled and used his teeth to unscrew the cap of the bottle. “To Bill…” Tom proposed, “No, to William. May he rot in hell for breaking my heart!” Tom took a deep swig from the bottle and sighed as the liquor sizzled down his throat. But the fire was soon put out but a wave of cheap cold beer.

“Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear” Tom hiccupped. “Shit I better finish this Jack then.” Tom blinked and brought the bottle back up to his lips and proceeded to chug the rest. The burn was brutal but it passed quickly as Tom downed the rest of his beer as well.

The world was starting to spin and slide sideways and Tom suddenly found himself lying on the floor. His eyes too heavy to keep open any longer. It was half way a comfort, Tom admitted to himself before the heaviness of his drunken stupor forced him to slumber. For when he slept, he would dream; and when he dreamed, they were always filled with Bill.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill sat in the corner of his room shaking. The slight tingle in the back of his throat had progressed into crackling thirst that was slowly consuming his body. It’s was like lightening in his veins. He felt weak, but his muscles craved movement. They yearned to lash out and search out the cure to their pain.

Andi walked into the room and found him this way. “What have we here?” He smirked; his arms on his angular hips. “Still not drinking I see. You know that‘s really not safe. You could go crazy, fall into the blood fever and you know what happens then. Fiends like that are little more then beasts.”

“Leave me alone Andi!” Bill growled like a wounded animal.

“You know William, you really are more trouble then you’re worth.” Andi sighed.

Bill wrapped his trembling fingers around the leg of side table near him and snapped it off to send flying at Andi’s head as the table smashed to the hardwood. “I said leave me alone!”

Andi easily dodged the projectile, “William why do you insist on being a trouble maker?” Andi rushed forward with inhuman speed and grabbed the front of Bill’s shirt; bringing him to his feet. “I hate trouble makers. Do you know what I do to trouble makers?”

Bill responded by spitting in Andi’s face.

Andi closed his eyes and when he opened them again any bit of compassion he may have pretended to have was gone, “Take him to the basement,” Andi ordered to a large thug, “ lock him up someplace where he’ll be seen again. Let him become a monster if he wants.”

______________________________________________________________________________

The hot afternoon sun shot though the moth eaten curtains of Tom’s refuge and began to rouse Tom from his alcohol induced sleep. His body ached and his head throbbed. “I hate my life.” Tom mumbled to himself as he attempted to pick himself off the tacky carpet.

The movement was like a sledgehammer to his gut. Instantly his stomach lurched and Tom sprinted toward the toilet. His chest heaving, Tom vomited up the remains of the alcohol. It was painful and yet it didn’t even compare to the pain that was settling in the depths of Tom’s heart. He was broken.

After washing his mouth out with a bottle of motel mouth wash and scrubbing the germs off his hands, Tom dragged himself back to his bed. His heart lay in shattered pieces in the pit of his chest and for the first time since his world had dissolved Tom broke down. Tears of rage and hatred welled up in his eyes, mixed with tears of despair and loss. A piece of him was missing and he longed for it’s return like he longed for the weight of Bill’s head upon his chest or the feeling of completeness he had felt when they had made love.

Tom rolled over onto his stomach and took in a deep breath of the sheets. They smelt stale and unwashed but beneath that lay the remains of Bill’s unique scent mixed with his own. Flashes of Bill’s face in ecstasy as he moved over him haunted Tom’s mind and he tried to think of other things. Anything to take away this pain that was wreaking him.

But he was unable to remove his thoughts from Bill. “Why?” Tom sobbed into Bill’s pillow, “Why didn’t you tell me?”

But the answer hurt him as much as the reason Bill had given. Thinking back, there had been so many times when Bill had seemed to be so close to telling him; and what would have happened then? He loved Bill, he knew that in his heart, but was that enough to remove a hatred he had let fester in him for most of his life? “I’m such a hypocrite.”

“What have I done?” Tom mourned. “Bill, please forgive me.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Andi stepped out of the high security vault looking flushed as a monstrous scream filled the chamber behind him. “Well that was interesting.” Andi informed Justin who was following behind him with hand wipes.

“He’s getting worse isn’t he?” Justin asked with a grimace.

After cleaning his hands thoroughly with the wet wipe Andi dropped it into Justin’s awaiting hands, “Unfortunately. You know I was really hoping he would just shoot himself in the head or something, but leave it to William to be difficult and draw it out.”

“The nobles are getting nervous. They keep asking when William will be returning.” Justin informed his master.

“God they’re annoying.” Andi complained with an eye roll, “Can’t they just get over William? I mean, it’s not like he was any better then me. I’m a way better King the he ever was. I actually want what’s best for fiends. It’s not my fault no one understands that.”

Justin nodded as he was trained to do, “You’re absolutely right, sir.”

Stepping out of the dank structure below the mansion, Andi made his way to the throne room, Justin following close behind.  
-+  
“Has there been any luck in locating that annoyance Tom?” Andi groaned as he stepped through the large double doors and crossed the elongated ballroom. “I should have killed him at the party, I really should have. Anyways, have they found him yet?” Andi inquired as he took a seat on the scrap metal throne and threw his legs over one of the arms in a lazy sprawl.

“Umm, no.” Justin stammered, “But Bushido says he needs his troops back if you want any humans for the next harvest. Actually I believe his exact words were, ‘tell the king that I’m strapped for bodies and need my brutes back from your wild goose chase in the fucking backwater or you’ll be drinkin’ nothing like the rest of us.’ His words not mine.”

Andi paused and seemed to contemplate this. “I think we should kill him.” He muttered haphazardly as if he was deciding what shade to paint the walls.

“Sire, do you really think that’s a good idea?” Justin asked hesitantly, “He is the leader of our most successful raiding party.”

“I grow tired of his complaining, I think it’s time to clean house anyways.” Andi explained, “Oh, and make it a public execution. I’m bored and a good execution always cheers me up.”

Justin bit his lower lip but said nothing, “Very well, sire. I’ll have him arrested within the hour. Is there anything else you would like me to address?”  
12-3fsda  
“Yes,” Andi replied, sitting up and drawing Justin close by the front of his shirt, “Be a good little boy and tell the guards down stairs that if William comes to his senses and asks for blood not to give it to him. It’s kind of fun watching his suffer.” Andi finished by kissing a poisonous trail down Justin‘s pale throat.

A dark shutter crept through Justin’s bones as he slowly pulled away from his king. “Of course your majesty.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom broke into the mall down the street from his motel. According to the decaying phone book in his room the mall had a gun store.

Tom smashed the glass store front and entered into the guns and ammunitions easily. However a lack of a way to carry much ammo limited him to one rifle and a hand gun. “It’ll have to do…” groaned as he strapped a shoulder band of rounds across his chest.

As Tom began to head out of the mall before being stopped in his tracks by the alluring sight of artfully done graffiti and the shimmer of bling.

Slipping through the security gate to the high end Hip Hop boutique, Tom smiled and tongued at his lip ring in excitement at the wild range of baggy jeans and over sized tee-shirts. “Jack pot.”

Like a kid in a candy store, Tom went from rack to rack picking a choosing jeans and tee shirts. “Hey,” Tom convinced himself as he looked in the mirror, “If I’m gonna win back Bill I better look good doing it.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom knew he had no hope navigating his way through the miles of rank tunnels he had been lead through before. His exit of the city was also a bit hazy; clouded with anger and adrenaline. So this time he would have to rely on his GPS.

Unfortunately his handy dandy GPS didn’t calculate for Tom’s fear of bridges or any form of pathway that bottlenecked.

“I don’t care if the fastest way into the city is through the tunnel!” Tom argued with the hand held devise, “I can almost guarantee that if I take the tunnel I will get attack and there’s a slim chance, I’m not saying it’s very likely, but I might, I don’t know, DIE!”

His GPS responded with a computerized female voice, “Proceed forward two hundred yards.”

“Grrrr.” Tom growled at the plastic, “Fine! I’ll go forward two hundred yards. You just watch I’ll get attacked and then we’ll see who’s right.”

“Proceed forward two hundred yards.” The voice reminded him yet again.

“SHUT UP!”

Tom gritted his teeth and stalked toward the angry mouth of the tunnel. “Proceed forward two hundred yards.” Tom mimicked with a whiny voice, “Yeah, I’ll show you two hundred yards.”

Darkness closed in around Tom as he walked further and further into the tunnel. Water dripped down onto the eroded asphalt from creaks in the great arched ceiling. It trickled down upon Tom like a light rain. As he made his way over the rubble and congestion of abandoned cars the hairs in the back of Tom’s neck began to rise.

Tom stopped in his tracks as the air was filled with twisted laughter. Tom’s first thought fell back to the Phantom’s but this laughter was different, much too organized.

“Shit!” Tom cursed the moment before he was tackled to the muddy ground. Immediately rolling on this back, Tom threw his assailant off him. It was woman perhaps in her late thirties. She wore a blue velvet dress; the hem ripped and stained with mud and what vaguely smelt like sewage. Her long wavy brown hair hung about her disorganized and dirty, half way masking her possessed glossy eyes. She was accompanied by two young males.

Jumping to his feet, Tom grabbed for his rifle and fired repeatedly at them. The males fell to the ground, both dead, but the female moved at an alarming speed and dodged out of the path of the bullets with swift jerky movements.

She ran at him at an astonishing speed and knocked Tom’s rifle out of his hands, catching him off guard. However Tom managed to block her next attack and counter with a punch to her abdomen. She staggered backwards clasping her stomach in pain.

“Take that bitch.” Tom jeered when a shudder ran through her body.

At the snide remark the woman’s eyes snapped to Tom’s, filled with intense rage. Striking once again, the fiend shot forward and threw a punch at Tom to distract him from blocking the high kick she was sending at his ribs.

Tom gasped in pain, the air rushing from his lungs, as her leg made contact with his already abused rib cage. Groaning, Tom collapsed to the ground. The women was on him in a second.

Crouched above him, she looked at him much like a cat watching a moth flutter about; her eyes flying from one place to another. Another bout of the sick laughter escaped past her lips.

“God damn it.” Tom spat as he fumbled for his hand gun that had fallen onto the pavement near his head. “Come on, reach, you’ve got o save Bill…”

A moment of lucidity washed over the face of the fiend above Tom, “Bill…”

Tom looked up at her in mild shock, “What did you just say?”

“You’re him. You’re his lover; William’s lover.” She murmured in a soft daze. “I saw you.”

“Yes!” Tom nodded eagerly, “I’m William’s lover. Yes!”

The fiend slid off Tom’s chest, her eyes beginning to glaze over once again slowly, “You have to save William. He’ll bring life back to us all.”

Tom quickly got to his feet and grabbed his hand gun, “What are you talking about?”

She looked over at the bodies of the other two fiends, “The King has killed us all. When William returns he will usher in a new era. He will save us by delivering us a new King.” Another shudder of pain ran through the women on the dirty ground. A tremor of sympathy washed over Tom.

“You’re in pain.” It was not a question, more of an observation.

She looked up at him, the mad look of blood lust beginning to take back it’s grip on her, “We are starving. We thirst. We are bled dry. Dry, dry , dry, so dry.” She began to repeat as the thirst took over. Slowly she crawled toward Tom and he began to back away. “Blood. Need blood. So sweet, cool. Blood.” Her laughter came back as she pounced at Tom.

Tom pulled the trigger.

The sound of the gun shot ran echoed through the space like church bells. It was followed by the thud of the women’s body; a bullet hole smoking in her forehead.

Tom reloaded his hand gun, the rifle lost in the debris, as he walked away. Looking back at the dim outlines of the bodies behind him, Tom realized things were obviously a lot worse then he had thought.

At the end of the tunnel, Tom took a deep breath. Taking out his GPS Tom looked at the map for his next set of directions toward the mansion. “Ha! Told you I’d get attack.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom pressed against the wall as he ninja’ed his way into the mansion. Night had fallen over the city and Tom was kicking himself for not finding a way to carry more ammo. He had run out after two more fiends had try to jump him a mile back.

Climbing the gutter up to an open window, Tom slid through the space and onto the polished floor on the mansion’s interior. He was in the far end of the house that was vacant and away from the party that seemed to be going on. The few fiends he had seen on his way in were dressed in ball gowns and tuxes.

As Tom made his way down a corridor, he started to hear voices coming his way. Skirting into a side room, Tom narrowly missed being spotted by a two men in security uniforms.

His hiding place was a small office space that was dedicated to musical instruments. A grand piano was off to one corner while a number of guitars hung on the wall. Curious, Tom gently took a shimmering white electric off the wall. It was a beautiful work of craftsmanship and Tom was curtain it had to be custom built. Running his fingers over the strings, Tom experienced a strange sense of nostalgia. At the beginning of his journey he had carried his guitar with him. But after four days of eating only zebra cakes and soda while he walked through Ohio, Tom had given in and bartered the Fender for food and ammo.

While in his musing, Tom failed to hear the door creak open further then he had left it. The fiend that walked in was stunningly beautiful and had Tom‘s definition of beauty not been rewritten as Bill, Tom was pretty sure he would have made a move on the girl, who couldn’t have been more then sixteen when she had been infected, “Well what have we here?” The girl giggled.

Tom stared at her as she stalked over to him. “Aren’t you just the prettiest piece of flesh I ever did see?” She had a slow southern accent that made her words seem to ooze over her lips. With a sweet and sour smile, the girl sidled up to Tom and ran one hand down Tom’s arm while the other ran up the neck of the guitar suggestively. “Hmmm, I just want to eat you up.”

“Not on your life lady!” Tom growled; jamming the neck of the guitar into her stomach.

With a shriek the girl lashed out and swung to slap Tom, Tom moved to avoid the hit but couldn’t avoid the scrap of her nails from making two small cuts just to the right of his right eye.

Seeing the blood that was beading on Tom‘s cheek bone, the girl’s eyes went black and her head began to twitch like a cat’s on the prowl. Tom turned the guitar around and held onto the neck like it was an ax. Slowly the pair began to stalk around the room; circling about and waiting for the moment to attack.

“You must be Tomi. I‘ve heard so much about you.” The girl taunted.

Hearing the pet name, Tom snarled, “Where’s Bill?!”

“Bill?” The girl thought and then begin to laugh, “Oh, you mean William. I forgot he gave up his name as well as humans. Too bad he won’t let loose and live a little now. He hasn’t drank in days.”

“What do you mean?” Tom asked through clenched teeth. A stab of worry was shooting through him.

The girl’s smile turned Cheshire as she read Tom’s concern, “Awww, is the filthy human worried about his boyfriend?”

“Fuck you! Tell me what’s happened to Bill!” Tom demanded.

Suddenly the girl stopped in her prowl and looked stared at Tom in a full on challenge. “Why should I? Are you gonna beat my head in with your guitar?”

Tom didn’t answer and instead sprang forward and slammed the body of the instrument against the side of the fiend’s head. The girl fell to the floor in a daze as blood began to pour momentarily from the side of her face. Leaning over her Tom leered down at her, “Yeah, something like that.”

Lifting the guitar again, Tom started to hammer away at the girls chest and ribs with his new weapon of choice. “Now, tell me what’s wrong with Bill and where the fuck he is or I’ll start smashing your head in real good. And that’s not a threat, that’s a fucking promise!”

The fiend was sobbing and bloody tears were running down her ashen cheeks. “Stop! Please stop! I’ll tell you anything, just please stop! Please!” She shrieked in pain and fear.

Halting his arm from following through with another swing of the guitar and knelling over her, Tom grabbed her hair and pulled her head up to his level. “Spill!” Tom demanded.

“He’s… he won’t,” the fiend struggled in pain.

“He won’t what, bitch? He won’t do what?” Tom spat, yanking her hair harshly for incentive.

“He won’t drink!” She screamed, “He won’t drink anything. After you found out who he really was and told him he was a monster he won’t drink anything, human, animal, even Synthe. He says the thought of drinking blood makes him sick. He hasn’t drank anything for a week. He’s going mad.”

Tom was suddenly puzzled, “A week? I only left four days ago.”

“He stopped drinking before that,” The girl whimpered

“Where is he?” Tom barked causing the girl to cry out, “I said where the fuck is he!!!” Tom yelled in her face.

The girl was in hysterics, “They’ll kill me if I tell you.”

Tom rolled his eyes and with pure adrenalin as his aid, Tom smashed the busted guitar against the piano leg and snapped the neck, leaving the body to dangle from it by the strings. Tom brought the sharp jagged end of the neck to the girls face, barely two inches from her left eye. “Bitch please, I’ll kill you right now if you don‘t!” Tom threatened. “Now tell me where the fuck he is!”

With her lower lip wavering, she cried out Bill’s location. “He’s in the basement. Andreas doesn’t want anyone to see him because he’s going into blood shock. His cells are starving, they‘ve started to turn against him.”

Tom growled at the girl like a wild animal, “What do I have to do to save him?”

“He needs human blood.” she explained. Her wounds were already healing and her voice was gaining strength. “This far along he’d need to drain someone almost dry to come back. It would mean death for the donor.” Tom moved the broken piece of wood closer toward her eye in aggravation, “Please don’t kill me!” She squealed.

“I’m not going to kill you.” Tom huffed and pulled the stake from her eye, “I‘m going to take you with me. But I swear if you alert anyone, if you yell for help and someone comes, after I kill every single one of them, you will wish that I had killed you now. Understand?” Shaking beneath him, she nodded and pursed her lips together. “Good, now take me to the basement!”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The basement of the mansion turned out to be more of a dungeon then anything. The walls were stone, water pipes and electrical wiring flowed along the ceiling in a great mess of plastic and metal, and the stench of something dead permeated the poorly circulated air. The basement structure consisted of two long corridors, connected on each end with rooms springing off the hall ways. However, the doors to these rooms were not wooden, they were bars. “Andi, had them installed almost a year ago.” Tom had his captive guide explain, “He said he needed a place to put trouble makers.”

“Awesome, yet another disgusting place where I could catch a horrible disease. What is it with fiends and their aversion to bleach?”

As Tom and the girl, who Tom had learned was named Megan out of need for something to call her something other then cunt-face or bitch, made their way down one hall way several pale, skeletal hands reached through the bars toward them.

With the grasping hands came pleading and begging for freedom or blood. The owners of which looked out from behind their bars with sunken eyes and shaking bodies. “Doesn’t he feed them?” Tom asked.

Megan shook her head, “No, that’s part of his punishment for some. The more horrible the sin against him the longer you must go without blood. They have food to eat and water, but blood is never given. Andreas lavishes those of us who please him, but he is very cruel to those who cause him trouble.”

Tom couldn‘t believe what he was hearing, “And no one does anything to stop it? You all just watch it happen?”

Megan stopped and turned to look at Tom. Her wounds had healed completely by now and you could barely see the faint silver traces of scars across her pretty face. “Andreas is our king. When William left he handed the crown down to him and so Andreas has the divine right as our leader to do as he pleases.”

“Divine right? What is this the dark ages? You fiends really aren’t as smart as I thought you were. I’m sure you’re not the only one who has a problem with this. Why don’t you guys revolt, kick him off the throne, elect a new king.” Tom suggested.

“It’s not that simple,” She explained, “Our laws are the way they are for a reason and there are only two ways to obtain a new King or Queen. One way is what happened when William left, the former King passes his crown down to someone he sees fit. Which is the way it has been done since the beginning of the epidemic. The other way is much more violent and has never been done. A new King can take the throne if he somehow manages to kill the former.”

“Great then, kill Andi. He’s a jerk and deserves to die.” Tom seriously could not believe that this option had never been considered.

However Megan did not respond and continued walking toward the end of the massive corridor. Finally she spoke, “You don’t think we’ve tried, do you? We have, but Andreas is strong. Every time someone challenges him they lose and Andreas drinks their blood. With each draft of Fiend blood he gets stronger. With each passing day, our kingdom is crumbling more and more. Andreas sends raiding parties out to the human settlements and brings back humans. But there’s never enough blood to go around and so more and more of us go thirsty and begin to go mad with blood lust.”

Tom thought this over fully. He had no idea that things were so bad. But he knew one thing for sure, Andreas had to be stopped sooner then later. But first he had to find Bill and make things right. “Megan, while I was coming back into the city I ran into a women. She kept saying that William was going to change everything; usher in a new regime or something. Why would she say that?”

“Was she wearing nice clothing?” Megan asked

“I guess so. Or at least it would have been a nice dress if she hadn’t been crawling around the city in it.” Tom replied.

“When William was King things were better. Maybe not the greatest, he was still selfish and the lower fiends still struggled to survive, but we all got by. Especially the nobles. William spoiled them. He was our Sun King.

“When Andreas became King there were still parties and extravagance, but things were different. Andreas is power hungry. Where William had only wanted praise, Andreas wanted power. So he took it from the nobles and then when that wasn’t enough he took anything he could from the lower fiends. So the nobles came up with his foolish prophecy about the second coming of their great king.” Megan finished recounting with a sigh.

Tom nodded, but remained curious, “Do you believe Bill will save the fiends?”

Megan stopped and looked at him square in the eyes, “Do I look like I believe in fairy tales?”  
Now come on, we have to hurry before someone sees us.”

Tom was just about to ask Meg how much further it was to Bill’s cell when a set of voices in the cell they had just passed caught his attention. “Hey, Lover boy! Retard! Jail bait!” A snide but kind voice yelled.

It was accompanied by a quiet but stern reprimand, “Stop acting like a child, Geo!”

Stopping dead in his tracks and rushing back toward the cell, Tom couldn’t believe his eyes. Hanging in two medieval hanging cages, Georg and Gustav were bickering back and forth. “Georg! Gustav! How did you…? I mean, I thought you guys left.” Tom asked in utter amazement.

“We tried to!” Georg whined, “But stupid Andreas said we had caused him enough trouble already by taking Bill out of the City the first time. So he locked us in here. He told us we could hang out. Stupid bastard! I‘ll ring his scrawny neck.”

By this time, Megan had realized that Tom was no longer fallowing her and had joined Tom at the entrance to the cell. “What are you doing?” She pushed, “We have to hurry, there isn’t much time left.”

“Just give me a god damn minute ok.” Tom sneered as he rattled the iron door frame to the cell, “Can you get this open?”  
_____________________________________________________________________________

Getting Georg and Gustav out of the hanging cages went fairly smoothly. Megan even let Tom try and jump up onto the cages a few times before going to the wall and pressing a few buttons that dropped the cages lower and released the automatic locks.

“Oh get over it, it was kind a cute, you jumping around like that.” Georg teased an embarrassed Tom.

“And to be fair you did hit me in the head with a guitar a few time. I’m allowed to have a little fun at your expense.” Megan pointed out.

Georg looked at Tom in shock, “You tried to kill her with a guitar?”

“I ran out of bullets.” Tom shrugged

Megan led the small group the rest of the way down the corridor towards a large wooden door. As they got closer the knot in Tom’s stomach grew tighter and tighter and his nerves felt like they were on fire.

When they reached the door, Megan reached out and pressed a large stone next to it. With an automated whirling sound, a panel sprang out of the rock and revealed a hand scanner and a number pad.

“Where did Andi get the money for that?” Gustav asked in amazement.

“The nobles. Andreas has access to their money because he makes them pay for blood.” Megan informed them as she reached out to press her palm onto the scanner.

“Wait!” Georg gasped before she could, “If you let us in, Andi’s gonna know you helped us.”

Megan turned and looked at the trio of battered men. “I know, which means, that after you save William, you have to kill Andreas as well.”

“With pleasure.” Tom smirked, already thinking up ways to destroy the bastard.

Megan nodded and pressed her hand onto the glass while punching in the five digit code to on the number pad. “On the other side,” Megan warned, “They’re will be four armed guards. After that you’ll have to kill the power which should disable all the locks on Williams cell, which is the room just beyond this one, as well as give you guys time to make a break for it. The power grid will be on the wall to your left in the next room.”

“How do we shut it off?” Gustav asked

“I’d say flipping the breaker will probably work , but you’re free to use your imaginations.” Megan smiled slyly.

“This one’s sharp.” Georg pointed out with a smile as he opened the door and slowly made his way inside. Gustav nodded a thanks to Megan and then followed Georg.

“Thanks Meg. Sorry for bashing your face in with a guitar.” Tom apologized; only half way guilty.

Megan shrugged, “It’s cool. A few scars are the least of my worries if it means getting Andreas off the throne.”

“We’ll take care of him. Don’t worry about that. It might be a few days though, so you better get out fast. I don’t want to think about what he might do to you if he finds you.” Tom warned.

“Got it.” Megan smiled wetly, “And Tom, I do believe in fairy tales. So hurry up and go rescue him, so he can rescue us.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The guards had been easily dispatched by Georg and Gustav by the time Tom caught up with them.

“Here.” Gustav said as he threw Tom a rifle that had formally belongs to one of the dead bodies crumpled on the floor. “The power box is over there, open it up and flip the main switch.”

Tom nodded and walked over to the large gray cabinet on the far wall while Gustav and Georg continued to collect ammo and weapons off of the corpses. There was a pad lock on the box that Tom smashed with the but of his gun allowing the door to swing open.

Flashing lights and switches went on and off in front of Tom and made Tom feel like a cat watching something shiny. Shaking his head, Tom tried to concentrate and find the main power switch, with consequently was bright red and labeled “Main Power Line”.

“Let the party begin.” Tom joked as he flipped the switch. Instantly the whole room went black as the clanking of automatic locks shuttering open filled the air; the flicker of lower power emergency lighting followed moments later.

Turning towards his companions, Tom was pleased to see them armed to the teeth. “Ready to go save the damsel in distress?”

“Don’t let him hear you say that.” Georg smiled.

“Are you ready?” Gustav asked. The question was simple and Tom could have laughed it off but the look in Gustav’s eyes told him that he was asking Tom if he was ready for a lot more then a rescue mission.

Tom let out a shallow breath, “Yes.”

“Are you sure?” Gustav pressed. “Because you should know that the person in there; it might not be Bill anymore. I mean, it is Bill, but he won’t be the Bill you know. So you have to be one hundred perfect sure that you can handle that.”

Tom licked his lip, tasting cool metal and chapped flesh, “I promised him that I would love him no matter what. I meant it.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom’s rifle fell to the concrete with a harsh clattering as he took in the sight before him. The room was sparse, a large gray expanse of grey concrete with the dark elaborate graffiti marring it’s smooth surface; and in the center of the bare room, stood Bill. His arms hung at his sides limply, weighed down by the same heavy chains Tom had endured days before.

Harsh florescent lighting flickered above them as the sounds of mass panic echo down from the floors above them and the noise made Bill look up at the three invaders of his prison. Bill was disheveled; once high fashion clothing had become soiled and stained with blood and dirt; his nails had grown long and claw like; and bloody streaks ran down his alabaster cheeks, remnants of crimson tears that Bill had cried.

Bill’s eyes were no longer a bright and sparkling red, but instead shone back in the faulty lighting black and oily like an animals. In fact, everything about Bill at the moment screamed wounded animal. Bill eyed them unfocused, his sight skirting over Georg and Gustav like they were just part of the room. But the moment that his eyes met Tom, quiet Bill changed.

Bill inhaled the stale air, closing his eyes and leaning forward to reach for more of Tom’s earthy human scent. Bill’s eyes became half lidded and he gave Tom the kind of look that could ruin a man. Slowly, Bill licked his lips seductively, moaning and reaching out for Tom.

Tom longed to close the distance between them. Bill’s desperation had heavily saturated the very air he was breathing and Tom yearned to end it. But he knew that if he did, it would mean the end of his life.

Sensing that Tom would come no closer to him, Bill let out an inhuman scream and pulled on the chains keeping him attached to the floor. Tom jumped. Before this Bill had looked as beautiful as ever, his delicate features only slightly marred by blood and dirt. But as Bill let out the monstrous cry, his body shuddered and Tom became aware of the way Bill’s skin was frail and thin like paper and how dark circles ringed his eyes and blacked the corners of his lips.

“What are we gonna do?” Georg questioned as they watched in shock as Bill clawed at the air between himself and Tom.

“I don’t know.” Gustav replied, “You and I could probably tie him up and we could make a run for it. Pump him full of Synthe and try to bring him back.”

“It won’t work.” Tom stated calmly.

Georg and Gustav turned toward Tom. “What?” Georg asked

“It’s won’t work.” Tom answered again, his eyes never leaving Bill. “Megan said he’s so much that much blood would kill a human. And besides we don’t have any Synthe. There’s none in the City and we don’t have the time to go looking for it. Bill won’t survive that. He needs blood now.”

Georg stomped over to Tom, “You can not be serious. Tom, he’ll kill you. Do you understand that. He’s not going to be able to stop.”

“I know.” Tom murmured.

“Gustav you have to stop him!” Georg yelled as he looked back at his lover.

Gustav shrugged, “Tom, Georg is right. If you let Bill drink from you that’s it.”

“Like I said, I know.” Tom paused and then looked at his friends, “I knew before I came in here. I knew the moment Megan told be how bad off Bill was. I even knew that this was gonna happen before I met you guys. I’ve known since I was six that William was going to kill me. But it’s ok, because I love him; and when you truly love someone, when the question of your life versus theirs comes up, giving up your own is always the answer. I‘d rather die this very moment, then live another second without Bill.”

Georg and Gustav looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Tom and nodding. “What do you need up to do?” Gustav asked,  
______________________________________________________________________________

Georg and Gustav stood on opposite sides of Bill, each aiming their guns at the locks that held Bill’s chains down to the ground. Bill remained oblivious to them, still caught up in Tom but growing tired as his strength began to wane.

Tom stood a few feet out of Bill’s range shaking. Taking a deep breath, Tom nodded to his companions and they let off a few rounds; destroying the locks keeping Bill trapped.

Bill was on Tom almost instantaneously and Tom barely had time get his arms up and create a small space between them and Bill grabbed at clawed at his arms.

“Bill!” Tom begged, “Bill you have to look at me. Please look at me and remember who I am.” Bill’s only response was a feral mewling of need that half way broke Tom’s heart. “Bill please. I love you. Please never forget that.”

Tears burned at Tom’s eyes and a stray escape him and began to wander down Tom’s dirty cheek. “Good bye. I hope I see you again.” Tom whispered as he let his arms fall and allowed Bill to over take him.  
Tom screamed as Bill’s fangs sank into his throat; slicing the delicate flesh there; despite having tried to prepare himself. Pain flared through Tom’s body but it crashed and dissipated into a wave of euphoria. Each time Bill took a draft of him in the pain pulsed back, but the pleasure that followed behind it made Tom shudder with need and after the first few cycles Tom was craving the torturous ache as well as the ecstasy that followed it.

But slowly, as Bill drank more and more, an icy chill began to grow like icicles in Tom’s veins. It started in his fingertips and toes; spreading up his arms and legs. He was shivering as it began to creep up his torso. The cold brought on numbness and exhaustion.

“Bill…” Tom croaked, his mouth was dry and his tongue felt thick in his mouth. “Bill stop…”

Joyous relief was flowing throughout Bill. The searing pain that had wreaked his mind and body for days was dissolving and all that was left was sweet release and the warm thick blood that ran over his lips. He suckled the neck beneath his mouth like a babe at his mouth’s breast. The ruby liquid was life giving; a deep rich escape from the torture he had been through.

The blood was clearing his hazy mind, fixing the things his cells had destroyed in protest to his inability to drink. He was able to think now and with this came the capacity to become aware of his surroundings.

“Bill please stop.” Tom gasped as his body became to scream at him. It was hard to breath. The cold had started to fill his lungs and each slow beat of his heart was more painful then the last.

Bill heard his name. It was Tom his mind told him; he was in pain. Then the scent of the body in his arms hit him. He was drinking from Tom.

Fighting back the intense urge to keep drinking, Bill ripped his mouth from the trembling figure in his arms.

Laying there, weak and pale, was Tom. His caramel brown eyes unfocused, his breath shallow, and his frighteningly pale lips slowly trying to form a smile as Bill’s crimson eyes met his.

“Tom?” Bill stammered in disbelief.

“I came to rescue you…” Tom croaked. His eyelids were so heavy; a deep black sleep was beckoned to him and Tom wanted to fall on to it.

Bill lowered them to the floor, “Tom, you shouldn’t have come back!” Bill scolded him with tears in his eyes, “I was the one who was suppose to die. I was going to lose myself for you. I wanted to become a monster, like the one you see when you look at me. I was the one who was suppose to die, not you! Are you even listening to me?”

Tom’s eyelashes fluttered open and Tom gave Bill an unfocused smirk, “You’re not a monster.”

“Yes, I am Tom!” Bill argued in frustration, “How could you sacrifice yourself like this for me?”

“Because,” Tom slurred; using all the last remnants of his strength to bring his hand to Bill’s face and stroke his cheek with his own finger tips. “ I had to kill the monster so that I could rescue you. There’s always a monster guarding the prince’s true love.”

Bill blinked his disbelief, “What?”

“And once the prince kills the monster he rushes into the castle and saves his true love with a kiss.” Tom burbled as his eyelids grew heavier.

“This isn’t a fairy tale Tom!” Bill screamed, shaking Tom to keep him awake, “If you die I can’t kiss you to wake you up again!”

Tom chuckled softly, “That’s probably true. But you could kiss me now before I fall asleep. Maybe that‘ll work.”


	6. Chapter 6

Bill’s bottom lip trembled as he watched Tom’s life slip away. “What am I supposed to do?” Bill cried.

“Bill we have to go.” Gustav

“NO!” Bill screamed, pulling Tom closer to him. “No, we can’t leave him.”

Gustav rolled his eyes, “None of us are gonna be able to leave if we don’t.”

“I don’t care! I’d rather die! I wanted to die!” Bill sobbed.

“Well that’s a good thing, because we only have about five minutes to get out of here before the guards find us.” Gustav pointed out.

“I said I don’t care!” Bill screamed. Tom was fading in his arms and he was lost. He had no clue how to fix this.

Georg walked over to him and knelt down. “Bill,” Georg said softly.

Bill looked up at him with tears brimming his eyes.

“Bill, I know you love Tom and I know you want to save him. But you need to calm down and think. Tom told you what to do Bill.” Georg whispered.

“What?” Bill whimpered.

Georg grabbed Bill’s wrist and sliced it open in one swift movement. Slowly a bright warm line of crimson blood came up and began to drip slowly across Bill’s pale skin. “He told you to kiss him Bill.”

The sight of the blood on his wrist was haunting but Bill could not look away from the red liquid. “Please forgive me.” Bill pleaded softly.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Rolling, gushing, beautifully pleasure flowed passed Tom’s lips and consumed him as a dark warmth dripped into his mouth. It came rushing over his tongue in waves and instantly quenched the burning that gripped his throat and left a wonderful tingling in it’s wake.

The sparking sensation grew and spread throughout his entire body as more and more of the intoxicating fluid passed his lips. It was heavenly. Tom was too blissed out to keep himself from sucking on the liquids wonderful source.

But too soon the spring of the amazing liquid was taken away and Tom could hear himself sobbing with desperation for its return.

Tom could feel himself being carried through a maze of hallways and then out onto the street where a cold bitter wind was howling like the hounds of hell. People were running past them in a haze. Everything had devolved into chaos. A flurry of gun shots went off near them. There was so much noise and every sound seemed to echo in Tom’s head. Tom soon found himself being laid down onto smooth leather seats and there was the slamming of several door. The great rumbling of an engine made Tom realize they were in a car.

The car lurched forward and shot down debris strung streets. After several minutes things seemed to suddenly become void of all noises. However, Tom slowly was becoming very aware of the great pulsing of the other three heart beats in the car with him. It was a beckoning call; a siren song that was whispering to Tom, telling him that there would be more of the glorious liquid if he could just get to the source of that noise.

Bill shrieked as Tom bit down on his chest, his teeth gnawing at Bill’s tee-shirt frantically. “Tom, stop it. You can’t have anymore.”

Bill denial made Tom growl with annoyance. His thirst had been growing since the first moment the source of his pleasure had been taken away and he knew that he could have more if only Bill would let him.

They drove for days or perhaps it had only been an hour, regardless, to Tom it had felt like forever and the constant thrumming of Bill’s heart near his head only made time move slower. The pulsing noise was beginning to suffocate him as he drifted between feverish states of consciousness.  
______________________________________________________________________________

A door was kicked open and the sound made Tom cringe. The noise was followed by frantic yelling coming from one too many directions for Tom to follow. It hurt for him to keep his eyes open, they felt like they were burning. He wanted to close them and just fall asleep.

“Bill?” Tom gasped as he was set down onto a cold smooth surface.

“Stay awake Tom, you need to stay with me. I’m so sorry.” Bill cried.

Tom blinked, it was getting hard to think. His head felt like it was filling up with smoke. “Where are we?”

“Safe. We’re safe.” Bill blabbered. “Georg get me a wet wash cloth.”

Tom looked around him. The room was tiled in pristine and gleaming white. His hands reached out and slide over cool ceramic, his fingers grazing over shining silver knobs. “Bill, why am I in a bathtub?” Tom slurred, losing control of his motor skills as his mouth grew dry.

“It’ll make clean up easier. Tom please stay awake just a little longer.” Bill pleaded, his hand clasped in Tom’s without Tom even realizing it.

“Clean up? What are you talking about?” Tom wheezed as Bill began to tug on his tee-shirt, pulling it off him. The sudden addition of more cold porcelain to his heated flesh made him shiver violently.

Bill was once again on the verge of tears as he watched his lover shake, “It’s going to hurt Tomi. Please forgive me.” Bill murmured as he wiped sweat from Tom’s forehead.

“Bill…” Tom was cut off.

The pain which had been gradually gaining strength now came full force. The glorious tingling of pleasure that had filled him from his first draft of blood soon began to completely consume him; growing into a wild fire of blazing lightening through his veins. His muscles cramped, his skin began to burn. Screaming, Tom torn at his arms and chest, flaying off the skin with fingernails that first grew long and black before they fell off completely.

And yet the pain continued to grow. It bored into his brain and Tom grabbed his hair to try and release the pressure. His cornrows falling out into his hands. His organs felt like they were ripping themselves apart inside him. In the back of Tom’s mind he could hear all his bones breaking and reforming with a sickening noise that almost sounded like stepping on fallen leaves.

Tom could vaguely hear Bill screaming as well; for help, that it was happening, and then voices telling him to hang on, to stay awake; but the pain was becoming too much and before Tom could stop himself he fell into blissful unconsciousness.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Bill paced frantically, dangerously tempted to start gnawing on his nails. He had watched Tom go through the change and the whole floor stank of it. They had moved Tom upstairs to the penthouse suite but Bill could still smell the stench of death lingering on the ground floor.

He had forgotten the way the cells had entered his own body. It had felt good, he recalled, and then it had been pain. The cells had rejected his old body, like they did for all fiends, and had grown him a new one that fit their purpose. He had not watched Georg change, instead Gustav had watched and vise versa. He had never seen the horror and gore of it, only experienced his own. He had had nothing to prepare him.

Tom was laid out on the bed before him. Georg and Gustav had managed to find a hospital within a mile of the hotel they had decided was a safe distance from the mansion and had been able to bring a heart monitor back along with several large bags of Synthe. The steady beat of Tom’s new heart was calming but frightening. Bill could not bare to think of what would happen once Tom awoke.

“I forgot how long we slept after the change.” Gustav noted as we walked into the room with a few cans of fruit. “Georg said I was out for almost 40 hours. How about you?”

Bill took the can of pineapple he was handed and pulled it open, “A day. Cops found me in a pool of my own blood in an alley; thought I’d been mugged.”

“I remember that story. All the girls in our grade made you get well cards.” Gustav teased.

Bill smirked and popped the top of one of the cans and fingered a few pineapple chunks into his mouth, “My adoring fans.”

Gustav chuckled and then put a concerned hand on Bill’s arm. “I came up to see if you wanted a break to sleep.”

Bill shook his head, “No, I want to be here when he wakes up.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Grey light filtered in through the small opening in the moth eaten curtains as Tom’s eyes fluttered open. The room was dimly lit but Tom found that he could see everything clearly. Tom smiled when he spotted Bill softly snoring in the chair next to the bed.

A steady beeping next to him drew his attention and Tom looked over at it’s source; a heart monitor. Stiffly, Tom brought his hand to his chest and found three wires stuck to his skin. Groaning, he sat up and reached to turn off the machine; bringing silence to the room.

Bill woke up with a start when the lack of repeated beeping hit him. “Tom!” Bill gasped as he nearly managed to fall out of the chair.

Much to Bill’s relief, Tom was sitting up in bed trying to remove the sticky pads from his chest. His face was contorted into a painful grimace as he slowly pulled them away from his skin. Bill chuckled softly and smiled as Tom whined quietly to himself but managed to get the last one off his pectoral.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.” Tom apologized as he rubbed his bare chest.

Bill shook his head, “It’s fine.” There was a pause between them. Neither one quite ready to speak.

Bill was twirling his thumbs around each other while Tom fidgeted on the bed; realizing that he was naked.

“You guys…ummm,” Tom rambled, “You guys are the one’s who took my clothes off right? I mean, I didn’t like go crazy and strip down to my birthday suit did I?”

“Oh!” Bill answered somewhat flustered, “No. I removed your shirt before the change and then I had to wash your jeans. They were covered in blood and… stuff. It’s a good thing you were wearing black or you’d have to get rid of them. Not that that would be a bad thing.”

Tom arched an eyebrow at Bill, “What was that?”

“Oh, nothing.” Bill bluffed with a cheesy smile, “Just that if we had had to get rid of them we could have gone looking for new ones.”

Tom gave a short burst of hesitant laughter, “Oh, yeah. Well it’s a good thing we don‘t have to then. I mean I’d have to wear some of Gustav’s clothes until then. He’s great but his fashion sense sucks.”

“I know, right?” Bill smiled.

Another awkward pause settled over the room.

Finally Bill spoke up, “Tom, I’m…” he paused as if not knowing what to say, “I’m sorry. I know that you must hate me but…”

“I don’t hate you.” Tom interrupted. “I’ve never hated you.”

“What?” Bill asked in confusion, getting to his feet and pacing back and forth. “How can you say that? You’ve spent over half you’re life training to kill me! I traumatized you as a child! I murdered your best friend! I am the reason you spent your childhood shooting automatic rifles instead of playing with your friends.”

Tom tongued his lip ring but found it missing, shaking his head he got back on topic, “You told me to come kill you. I was just doing what the man I loved wanted me to.”

“What does that even mean?!” Bill stammered, “You were six years old and I was standing over the corpse of your best friend. There is no way you were in love with me then.”

“You’re right.” Tom shrugged, “It wasn’t until middle school when my obsession with William Kaulitz got really sick. You see, at that point I was pretty much obsessed with you, so it only seemed natural that when I discovered masturbation I used you as a catalyst.”

“WHAT!” Bill was in shock.

“Dude, I had like a hundred supposed pictures of you on my computer at home. I mean, you always had that stupid mask on so I could never actually see your face but every time your hair would change it was pretty hot. I loved your Mohawk phase, by the way. I don’t think I left my room other then to pee the entire weekend after I found those.” Tom looked at Bill and tried to imagine him with his Mohawk once again, “You really should do your hair that way again.

“Mhmmmm. I printed a few pictures out before I left to come find you. They got me through some hard times.” Tom bit his lower lip and groaned as the just the thought of Bill sent a shiver down his spine that pooled warmly in his groin.

Bill stood by Tom’s bedside gapping like a fish out of water. “Y-you masturbated to my pictures?”

“I’ve done lots of things to your pictures Bill.” Tom leered.

“Okay, that’s slightly disturbing.” Bill gave up, too shocked by the way this conversation was going to really care anymore.

“I think it was worth it in the end though.” Tom commented as he grabbed Bill’s wrist and pulled him down onto the bed next to him. Giving Bill the kind of smile he rarely showed, Tom brushed a stray piece of hair away from Bill’s face, “Because after years of searching, I finally found you; my obsession.”

Bill flushed as his heart beat sped up to a humming bird’s pace. “Tom,” Bill murmured, “Why did you come back? Why did you try to save me?”

“Why’d you lie to me? Why didn’t you tell me who you were?” Tom asked in response.

“Because…” Bill took a moment to roll his tongue ring about nervously, “Because if I had and you hadn’t kill me; you would have left me, and I couldn’t bare the thought of it. I didn’t want to lose you.”

Tom smiled and rested his forehead against Bill’s; his voice, a soft warm whisper, “Well then, to answer your question, I came back because I didn’t want to lose you either. I‘m sorry it took me a few days to realize that.”

“I should be the one apologizing. If I had told you who I was before we had gone to the City none of this would have happened. If I had just been truthful, I wouldn‘t have had to make you into a monster, just like me.”

“You’re not a monster.” Tom cooed, “I killed the monster, you killed him too, and now we get to ride off into the sunset together.”

Their lips collided softly but lacking no passion. It was warm and light; the kind of kiss seen in a romantic comedy after all the craziness has finally resolved and the main characters finally realize how much they need each other.

They pulled away, not from lack of air but the need to look at one another. In that moment the world seemed to slow down. Tom and Bill looked into each others eyes and instantly a fire ignited between them. Tom’s mouth smashed down on Bill’s awaiting lips as pulled the lithe fiend into his lap; Bill’s legs automatically wrapped themselves around Tom's waist in a vice grip as their lips tried to devour each other.

“God, I’ve missed you.” Bill gasped between heated breaths as Tom's mouth found purchase on Bill’s throat. Tasting Bill’s flesh again sent shivers through out Tom’s body. Bill’s hands roamed the planes of his lover’s back; his fingertips trailing along the lean muscles he had memorized. Bill let out a soft scream of pleasure as Tom bit down harder then normal.

“I need you.” Tom groaned; rubbing his erection against Bill’s clothed groan. All Bill could do was nod.

They kissed and nibbled, and bit at each other as they removed Bill’s clothing; throwing the offensive garments in any direction they could manage without breaking their connection.

Quickly, Bill was roughly thrown onto the bed with Tom's bulk instantly pressed on top of him. Grinding his hips up against Tom, Bill leaned up to kiss his lover. It was hot and strong and filled with the agony of their absence from each other. As Bill pulled away for air, he lightly bit Tom's lip and pulled.

For the second time, time between the pair stopped as they looked into each others eyes. Bill’s breath blew hot and heavy on Tom's lips and he closed his eyes and placed his forehead on Tom’s to breath in the scent of his mate. “It was agony.” Tom whispered, pain and utmost love heavy on his voice, “To be without you.”

The words set the couple of fire once more. As their lips met again in feverish hunger, Tom's hand reached for the bedside table drawer; pulling out the bottle of lube he somehow knew was there.

Smearing some of the cool gel on his fingers, Tom reached around and teased Bill’s pink pucker. Tom smiled when the fiend gasp and moaned with need as Bill himself tried to impale himself on Tom's hand.

“Was it agony for you?” Tom chuckled as he pushed two fingers into his eager partner.

“Yes! Yes! I couldn’t sleep.” Bill moaned as Tom began scissoring his fingers apart; stretching and caressing Bill’s hot insides. “Couldn’t eat, couldn’t drink, could barely breath.”

“You can’t imagine what every night without you was like.” Tom groaned as he slipped another finger into Bill’s tight heat and began sliding the trio in and out.

Bill moaned and grabbed at the sheets in ecstasy as Tom's digits impaled him over and over again, causing the most delicious burn to start growing in the pit of his groin. “OH God Tom, I need you now, just take me please!” Bill begged.

Bill’s murmured words were enough to set Tom off and in a flash his hand was removed from Bill’s simpering body, to be replaced by his quickly slicked cock. With a forceful grunt, Tom sheathed himself in Bill’s searing depths in one swift movement. Instantaneously Tom's face melted to an expression of pure bliss; mirrored by perfectly Bill’s.

After a brief afterthought of adjustment, Tom picked up a feverish speed. As if moving from zero to sixty in a mere moment, Tom pounded into Bill with such force that the back of the head board started to hit the wall repeatedly with each thrust; tiny flakes of plaster and wall paper coming off and floating about them.

Bill clawed at Tom's snowy back, his nails leaving bloody gashes in their wake. Tom screamed out in pain and pleasure; the wounds healing just as the blood began to drip down his back. Spurred by the intense feelings shooting through him, Tom picked up his speed; thrusting at a pace that only a fiend could try.

Bill cried out in joy as golden light coiled tighter within him when Tom slammed into his prostate; his hands moving down to his bed sheet, leaving jagged rips and tears in the already blood stained fabric. Recognizing Bill’s reaction, Tom slammed into the delicate little bunch of nerves again. Bill cried out at the assault on his prostate continued; the sound coming out as something between a howl and a scream of passion.

Both of them were so close to the end and they both knew it. Tom’s thrusting was becoming completely without pattern and cadence. At the same time, Bill’s body was constricting and pulsing around Tom with an incredible fervor.

Twisting his fingers into Bill’s ebony locks, Tom let out a battle cry of passion as he fell into oblivion. Bill following suit moments later, screaming out Tom's name.

An eternity passed while the lovers remained intertwined within each other, whispering the others name in satisfied endearment.

Slowly they began to untangle themselves to collapse in each others arms.

“Bill,” Tom moaned softly, enjoying the name on his lips.

“Yes?” Bill sighed, nuzzling his cheek against Tom's cool chest.

“Guess what.” Tom chuckled quietly

Bill turned his head to place a chaste kiss on Tom’s flushed chest, “What?” he whispered.

Tom‘s words were soft and incredibly deep, “We get to spend forever together.”

Spurred by the thought, Bill sat up and looked at down at the boy he had been wrapped about; his eyes brimming with tears, “ We get to spend forever together.” The reality of Tom’s transformation once again settling over him, but this time bring to light the hopeless joy of it.

Tom smiled and reached up to brush his thumb over Bill‘s trembling lips, “We‘ll never had to spend a sleepless night apart, never again.”

“Never again.” Bill repeated once more.

They remained still for a time, both happy to simply look at the other.

“Look at you.” Bill cooed after a while. “All blond again and those eyes… those are new.”

“What’re you talking about?” Tom asked with a curious smile.

“I’ll show you.” Bill replied with a nod toward the bathroom.

Taking Tom’s hand, Bill helped Tom out of bed and laughed when Tom brought the sheet with him to wrap it around himself in a awkward type of toga. “You look like a frat boy.” Bill teased.

“Shut up!” Tom blushed. “It’s cold.”

Bill arched an eyebrow at him but let it go. He grabbed Tom’s hand again and led him toward the bathroom; only pausing for a brief moment to pull on his boy shorts.

In Bill’s opinion the bathroom was everything a bathroom should be; exquisite. To Tom it looked like a hot tub and steam shower had been dropped into a ivory and gold encrusted stadium.

“Damn.” Tom murmured in awe as he looked around the room.

“I know right.” Bill agreed, not grasping that the subjects of their attention were not the same.

Tom opened up the door to the steam shower and pressed a few buttons causing four shower heads to turn on and cascade down the imitation stone tiles. “This is the greatest bathroom ever. I can‘t believe they have bathrooms like this.”

Bill stifled a giggle when he caught on to what Tom had originally found so fascinating. “You know what else you won’t believe?” Bill said, his voice full of mischief, “You won’t believe how great the mirrors make you look.”

“Really?” Tom asked as he turned off the shower and walked back over to Bill.

Bill smiled and nodded toward the mirror, “See for your self.”

Tom froze when he saw his reflection staring back at him. It was definitely him but there was so much that was different. His hair was still the same length as it had been but the black dye had been drained out and had taken the tight braids with it. All that was left was dirty blonde waves that cascaded down his back.

His lip ring was gone and not a trace of a scar remained. His gages had been removed from his ear lobes and they were once again whole and natural. His body was more defined with muscle and he pulled at the top half of his sheet to reveal wash board abs that made planes and valleys of flesh on his once only toned core. There were no more scars that littered his body, no more imperfections or flaws that he could see.

But the most startling change was his eyes. Tom leaned in closer to the mirror, mesmerized by the strange new shade of liquid silver that colored them.

“Damn.” Tom whispered in utter amazement.

Bill smiled softly and chuckled, “Like I said, I know right?”

“It’s so weird. I’m looking at myself but there’s so much that isn’t me.” Tom spoke, still stricken by his reflection. Breathing slowly, Tom ran his hands through his long soft hair; so unused to the lack of weight or the tight pull of his braids. The color was even throwing him off. Nervously he ran his tongue over his lip and felt a pang of lose when the cold metal of his piercing was not there.

Sighing Bill stepped closer to Tom and placed his shoulder, his hands wrapping around Tom’s waist to steady his lover, “But it is you. It’s just a new you and an old you at the same time. It’s the you that could have been if things had been different. And it’s a you that would be completely unachievable without what was done happening.” Bill knew how strange it felt to see a new self in the mirror. He had cried for nearly a day after his own change. It took some getting used to but Bill quickly went out and made himself look like himself again. “Don’t worry, we’ll make you look like you again.”

“How?” Tom whispered.

Bill smiled and kissed Tom’s neck affectionately. “Easy, a box of black hair dye, some tiny rubber bands, and of course we’ll put these back in.” Bill quickly pulled a little baggy containing Tom’s gages and lip ring out of his pocket and presented it to Tom. “You have no clue what I had to do to find these.”

Tom took the bag from Bill’s hand and rolled the small metal and plastic rings around inside the bag, “Do I wanna know?”

Bill chuckled softly, “Not unless you wanna hear about what happens when your skin and fat falls off your body.”

“Say what?” Tom turned and shot Bill a disgusted look.

“Let’s just say, I don’t ever want to watch someone get infected ever again.” Bill grimaced.

Tom nodded and licked again at the spot where his lip ring used to be. “I’ll take your word for it.”  
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Tom found out quickly that there were a lot of downfalls to being a newly transformed fiend. For one, he had a persistent tingling in the back of his throat that refused to go away and every so often the urge to lean in and bite the person closest to him; usually Bill, would over take any national thought.

Bill was, in most situations, gracious about it and would let the awkward action slide without much teasing. Georg and Gustav, however, were not so willing to let Tom’s nibbling go. On one occasion, after Tom had unfortunately sunk his newly grown teeth into Georg’s arm, Tom had earned himself a pistol whip to the face as punishment from Gustav.

“You didn’t have to hit him!” Bill reproached Gustav in the middle of the P&C they were looting for supplies.

“He’ll never learn that biting people is wrong if we don’t.” Gustav declared in rebuttal as he examined Georg’s arm.

Tom was rolling around on the dirty linoleum, grasping his crushed nasal passageway in pain, as Bill continued to argue with Gustav, “He’s not a dog Gus. It’s not like he pissed on the carpet and now we have to press his nose in it so he’ll remember not to do it anymore.”

“But it hurt.” Georg sniveled pathetically.

“Oh get over it.” Bill said with a roll of his eyes. “They’re his baby teeth anyways. He hasn’t even gotten his fangs yet. It’s not like he could have drawn blood.”

“Like the fucker didn’t try.” Gustav pointed out as he raised Georg’s arm offering the newly formed bruise up as evidence.

Bill exhaled sharply and rubbed his temples in frustration, “Ok, so Tom gave Geo a hickey. I’m sorry that you feel threatened by it. But I distinctively remember the two of you covered in similar marks after your change so you have no room to speak. Now run off and something blow up, I need to go find hair dye.”

Georg and Gustav left with a small angered huff. Sighing, Bill knelt down and took hold of his lover. “Tom, stop whining and let me look at it.”

“No!” Tom griped indignantly, “It hurts.”

“Oh come one, you’re acting like a baby. It’s just a broken nose. It’s probably already stopped bleeding and is half way healed.” Bill tried to explain as he attempted to pry Tom’s hands away from his face.

 

As Bill pulled Tom’s hands away, he could hardly contain himself. Tom’s lower lip was plump and pouty in the most perfect way as he whimpered and tried to fight back the tears that were making his eyes shine. “Awww baby.” Bill cooed as he leaned down and kissed Tom deeply.

Tom huffed into the kiss, but let Bill kiss away the last tinglings of pain. “I hate this. This is awful. I’m always thirsty, I keep biting people, and I feel like I’m gonna pass out every other hour.”

Bill just smiled softly and stroked the hair from Tom’s sweat dampened forehead. “I know. That’s the part that sucks. We all get sick for the first bit.”

“Are my teeth really gonna fall out again?” Tom whined, hating that he was getting so emotional about something that would have seemed inconsequential before.

A small grin spread across Bill’s lips and he leaned in again to kiss at the corner of Tom’s mouth. “They’re not gonna fall out. In a few days your fangs will start to grow in and that’s it. It’ll be weird at first, they kind of have a mind of their own, but you’ll get used to them and then you won’t even notice them. Now come on, let’s go get you some hair dye.”

“How long is this gonna last?” Tom groaned as Bill helped him to his feet. “The sickness part.”

“Depends,” Bill shrugged as he pulled Tom down the aisle. “The longer the weakness, the stronger the fiend. I was sick for two months.”

“How long was Andi sick?” Tom asked as they wandered into the hair and makeup area. Bill faltered for a moment but recovered by looking intently at the different brands of black dye. “Bill?”

Bill chewed at his lower lip nervously but relented, “A week.”

“A week? Really? That’s it!? Ok, you’ve got to be stronger then him.” Tom pointed out hopefully.

Bill shrugged and picked up two different boxes to compare them. “I suppose I was at one time. Do you want your hair to be natural black or more of a blue black?”

“Natural, and don’t change the subject.” Tom retorted as he leaned against the shelf. “How can he possibly be stronger then you? You were sick eight times as long as he was, that has to be at least eight times as strong.”

“And that would be true if I was still drinking human blood, and if Andi wasn’t draining his would be assassins dry.” Bill explained rather nonchalantly. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

Tom took a few steps closer to Bill and placed a hand on Bill’s hip, his thumb running over the star tattoo slowly, “But we have to.”

“No, we don’t.” Bill declared. “We can just keep traveling. We’ll just keep heading west until we find a place where he won’t find us.”

Tom chuckled and shook his head, “You know that‘s not an option. This isn’t something that’s going to go away if we ignore it. Andi’s not gonna let us walk away. He’ll be looking for us and until we kill him we’ll always be on the run. And do you really want to live like that, Bill? On the run? Going from one crappy motel to the next?”

Bill looked down at his feet, trying not to look Tom in the eyes, “No.” He murmured

“We’ve got to go back Bill. We can’t let Andi control our lives ever again,” Tom proclaimed in a harsh whisper. “or the lives of our people.”

Bill took a moment to consider this before nodding and looking back up at Tom. “Ok, so… what are we gonna do?”

Tom gave Bill a smirk and a peck on the cheek, “I don’t know, haven’t figured that part out yet. But can we get my hair back to normal? This long blond thing makes me look like something out of Lord of the Rings.”


	7. Chapter 7

“FUCK!!!!” Andi screamed, his champagne glass shattering in his hand. “Fuck, fuck, fuck! Where are they?!” 

Justin stammered as Andi stalked towards him, all the fury of hell burning in his ice blue eyes. “The new captain of the guard, Jared, he’s trying his best organize the search but with the shortages of blood we’ve had to divert soldiers to the raiding parties and with the state that they were in when they left some of us believe that they would not have survived for very long.”

A cruel smile split across Andi’s cold features as he pressed Justin against the wall. “Oh, wouldn’t that just be convenient but this is not just some group of filthy fledglings we are talking about. This is William and his disgusting friends. Do you have any idea what William could do to me?”

“Take back his throne?” Justin stammered.

Andi laughed, low and dark, barely a whisper against Justin’s pale cheek, his hand making it’s way into Justin’s caramel colored hair. “My throne?” Andi sneered. “When he comes looking for me, and I mean when, my throne will be the last thing I need to worry about because my head is what he’s gonna be after.”

Justin shuddered beneath him and Andi’s lips brushed his throat. “So I would suggest you tell this Jared that I don’t care how many fiends have to die for it to happen, but I want William’s head on a platter and his fuck toy Tom’s balls as a side dish. Understand?”

Justin nodded as Andi let the boy go and left the grand hall, his heels creaking like thunder against the granite tiles. “And plan a little get together with the nobles. I need something to distract me!”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Tomi, we can’t!” Bill squealed happily as Tom pushed him onto the bed before quickly crawling onto of the man. 

“I don’t know who you think you’re talking to because I’m pretty sure I can do whatever I want.” Tom pointed out nonchalantly as he proceeded to lick and suckle his way across Bill’s throat; paying extra attention to Bill’s Adam’s apple along the way. 

“But the G’s said we have to be quiet this close to the city. Gustav said they could be doing audio sweeps in that fancy helicopter.” Bill whined between decadent moans, his back arching into Tom’s talent mouth. 

Tom chuckled and kissed his lover playfully, whispering against his lips, “Well then, I guess we really can’t. Sad day, I mean I was gonna fuck you so good, but since you’re a screamer…” 

Tom slowly begins to pull away from his lover’s form before Bill pulls him back, closer then before, “No,” Bill whines against Tom’s neck winding his long fingering into Tom‘s re-braided hair. “I can be quiet.”

“You sure about that?” Tom chuckles, his already half hard erection half way to being extremely interested.  
_____________________________________________________________________________

“Really?” Georg sighed when Tom and Bill made their way back to kitchen of the abandoned house they were holed up in. Bill was trying in vein to get his rumpled clothing and hair under control while Tom had simply decided wearing a shirt was too much of a hassle. 

“What?” Tom asked, grabbing an apple from the bowl on the counter and hopping up onto the counter.

Georg rolled his eyes and folded up the old newspaper he was reading, “You guys call that quiet? And after all the thought Gustav went through to come up with that helicopter bullshit so we could have an hour of peace.”

“That was a lie?!” Bill exclaimed. 

“Well duh,” Georg said half way in disbelief Bill actually believed them, “Audio sweeps? Really?”

Bill pouted and rested his head against Tom’s shoulder, “But I tried so hard to be quiet. Look at my lip, it’s all swollen and bruised from me biting it.”

Georg groaned in disgust as Tom took Bill’s head in his hands and gently kissed Bill’s injured lower lip, “There, I kissed it better.”

“I think it’s gonna take a few more kisses to make it feel all the way better.” Bill smirked.

“I can manage that.” Tom smiled and leaned in for another mind blowing lip lock. 

Meanwhile, Gustav was making his way into the brightly lit kitchen just in time to see the lovers start making out like high schoolers after prom. “I’m guessing the helicopter thing went bust.” Gustav stated calmly as he side stepped the couple and poured himself a cup of coffee from the chipped coffee pot. 

“Yep, at least you were in our room, I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Bill try and be quiet.” Georg replied. 

“Lucky you.” Gustav smirked as he sat down at the table across from his own lover. “How did that work out for ya?” 

Georg groaned, “A lot less screaming and a lot more mumbled ‘oh Tomi right there’.”

Gustav chuckled and took a moment to look over his shoulder at the pair who were still playing tonsil hockey near the sink, “Sounds thrilling. You know, you could have come back and we could have made our own noise.”

“Yeah, but then I feel obligated to try and compete with them and as amazing as you are, they‘re like animals in heat.” Georg grimaced and took a sip of coffee from his own cup.

Gustav shrugged in response and thought it better not to argue with that logic.  
______________________________________________________________________________

The foursome sat around the kitchen table eating canned peaches and beef jerky, with water bottles of Snythe to wash it down, by candle light since the makeshift generator had decided to die the week before. 

“Ya know, this is kinda romantic with the candles and everything.” Tom slurped as he stuffed a peach slice into his mouth. “It’s like a double date.”

“I guess so, although I don’t know if I like to think about the G’s as a couple sometimes because it scares me that they actually have sex. And don’t talk with your mouth full Tomi.” Bill reprimanded teasingly. Tom’s response was to stuff another peach into his mouth and to chew vigorously, opening his mouth as wide as possible. “Eww,” Bill giggled and try to lean as far away from Tom as possible. “That disgusting.”

“You know what I think is disgusting?” Georg offered, “You two. It’s like watching a high school musical with fangs.”

Gustav piped in between bites of jerky, “Like Twilight really.”

“Exactly like Twilight Gus!” Georg chimed, clearly being ignored by Tom and Bill who were feeding each other peach slices mouth to mouth. “I think we better distract them before they start humping each other on the table.”

“Good idea.” Gustav agreed and began snapping his fingers in front of the lover bird, “Sorry to interrupt the love fest but I think we should talk about what we’re gonna do about Andi.”

Tom and Bill sighed and slowly pulled away from each other and tried to pay attention. 

“Ok, now I’ve been listening to radio transmissions via the radio I got off one of the guards at the mansion and apparently Andi is having a small… get together tomorrow night with some of the nobles who have been especially generous.” Gustav explained.

Bill eyed Gustav suspiciously, “What kind of get together?”

“Ummm.” Gustav, “I mean, it’s not confirmed but there was a large shipment of young humans coming in tomorrow morning.”

“ So what you mean is that they’re going to be having a blood bath right?” Bill sneered, “Leave it to Andi to bring back something like that.”

Tom looked around the group confused, “What’s a blood bath?”

“Basically,” Georg answered, “it’s where the nobles get together and bring in about ten to fifteen humans and they slit their throats and watch them bleed out or the nobles can drink from or whatever they want really. One of Bill’s last acts as King was to abolish the practice.”

“Exactly!” Bill spat, “I mean, it’s pretty much the antitheses of the wastefulness of the court. I mean, do you have any clue how many fiends he could feed with that many humans and he could keep them alive as donors. Furthermore…”

Luckily, Gustav decided this was the time to cut Bill off from his rant, “As I was saying, this meeting is highly illegal in the fiend community still but I guess you can break your own laws when you’re king. Anyways, because of the nature of the blood bath, the meeting is highly secretive and security is minimal at best. Andi can’t just got around wasting blood in front of a small army of fiends after all.”

“Which means Andi might only have two or three men guarding the event.” Georg pointed out.

“Right, namely his new head of security, Jared something or other. No one ever says his last name.” Gustav explained.

“What happened to Bushido?” Bill asked, sounding a little too interested for Tom’s liking. 

Gustav sighed, taking off the glasses he wore more from habit then actual need and rubbing his eyes, “From what I can tell, Andi accused him of treason and had him publicly executed in front of the nobles. Apparently it was pretty gruesome and they ripped his heart out so Andi could eat it.”

“That’s all kinds of nasty.” Tom griped, “But I mean he still kind of deserved it.”

“Did someone get jealous in the catacombs?” Bill baby talked to Tom.

Tom shrugged, “Maybe a little, but mostly he was just a jerk who wanted in your pants and I didn’t like that.”

“You’re so hot when you’re protective.” Bill cooed, going in for a kiss that Gustav promptly stopped.

“Again, I hate to interrupt but I think we should finish talking about this before you two start molesting each other again.” Gustav interceded, “Because of the low security I think it would be the best time to attack Andi and hopefully give Bill the chance to retake the throne.”

“But, doesn’t Bill have to actually kill Andi to reclaim the throne?” Tom asked

“According to fiend law yes.” Georg replied.

Tom’s eyes wandered to Bill who was being uncharacteristically quiet. “What’s wrong Bill?”  
Bill smiled falsely, “Umm nothing, I just, I don’t know if I can do that.”

“Why not?” Tom asked, “He’s an evil dick head Bill. He’s tried to kill each and every one of us here. He deserves to die.”

“It’s not that,” Bill cut in. “I know that Andi deserves to be killed and taken off the throne. Believe me, other then protecting you guys there’s nothing I want more. I just don’t know if I’m strong enough to do it.”

The group was silent for a few moments before Georg spoke up, “It doesn’t matter if you think you are or not. The fact of the matter is you have to be.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

They laid face to face in bed, fingers interlaced as the stared at each other. 

“This could be our last night together.” Bill whispered in the dark. 

“What are you talking about?” Tom asked, unconsciously moving in closer. 

Bill took a deep breath, “I’m not strong enough to kill him. Andi has been drinking the blood of fiends. He’ll have their strength too. I may be strong compared to most, but fighting Andi will be like fighting Superman. It’s hopeless.”

Tom sighed and brushed a stray hair from Bill’s cheek. “No, it’s not. Superman has weaknesses too. We just have to find his kryptonite.” 

“Any ideas?” Bill asked.

“Not yet,” Tom replied, his lips a moment from Bill’s, “But I will.”

Their lips clashed and thoughts of their fears started to slip away and be replaced by lust and need. Tom quickly pinning Bill down and ravishing his mouth, drinking in the flavor of Bill. “I love the way you taste.” Tom moaned. 

Bill leaned up and whispered in Tom’s ear, “I know…” before biting now on the soft white lobe. Tom let out a moan of pleasure. “It’s a good thing those audio sweeps were a lie.” Bill laughed.

“Hell yeah it’s a good thing.” Tom agreed with enthusiasm, “Because I love it when you scream my name.” 

Tom’s lips crashed down on Bill’s once again in a mind shattering kiss. Bill wrapping his long limbs around his lover’s waist in pleasure as Tom’s mouth wandered down to Bill’s hardening nipples. 

Tom reached for the tube still stashed under his pillow as he continued to lavish Bill’s chest with his tongue and lips. Bill let out a soft whimper as Tom pushed two lube covered fingers into his tight entrance. Slowly, Tom began scissoring his digits apart. His fingers journeyed deep into Bill’s warmth in search of that glorious bunch of nerves that would send his lover to heaven. Tom bit his bottom lip to stifle his moans of satisfaction as Bill writhed in ecstasy under his skilled hand.

Tom kissed his way down Bill’s abs, paying extra attention to each little muscle, to end at the base of Bill’s erection. Bill bucked his hips in need, his cock leaking little beads of pre-cum. Seeing the succulent moisture, Tom licked his way up the shaft with the flat of his tongue to slowly lick away the musky droplets. As the tip of Tom’s tongue forged along the slit of Bill’s cock, Tom shoved two more fingers into Bill. The four digits pumping in and out of Bill with such force that Bill screamed Tom’s name in a gasping howl. Tom drank in the sounds; moaning around Bill’s cock as he took the head in between his lips, to suck at the delicate skin. 

Bill was panting and whimpering, “Please Tomi… god I love you. I want you so bad.” 

Tom had no objections and with trained accuracy, repositioned his body in a flash before slamming into Bill’s warmth. Tom and Bill cried out in glory as tiny specks of light formed behind their eyes. Bill’s body pulsed around Tom’s erection to the beat of Bill’s frantic heart. The heat was building all around Tom and it drove him into a frenzy. Tom’s thrusts were powerful and quick. His cock expertly crashing into Bill’s prostate with fiery passion. Bill grabbed at the sheets in desperation as his logical mind started to melt away.

Tom was going crazy. Fucking Bill was one of his greatest joys and new favorite hobbies. Plus it was way more fun then plotting Bill’s death ever was. Tom’s thrusting into Bill started to become wild and uneven as a wave of pleasure crashed down upon him. Beneath his form, Bill writhed in bliss. As he grew closer and closer to completion Bill’s back arched in a beautiful arch The sensation of Tom filling him was steadily becoming too much to handle. Taking in deep breathes though clenched teeth, Bill reached down to his leaking member and began pumping the forgotten organ with a furious intensity. However, Bill’s pale fingers were soon joined by Tom’s. 

“Let me help you..” Tom groaned as he moved Bill’s hand to the breakneck speed of his thrusts. They were steadily approaching release and their moans filled the room like a chorus of angels. 

With a few more violent thrust from his lover, Bill howled out his release, Tom‘s name on his lips. Bill’s milky white spunk spurted out onto his chest and dribbled down Tom’s hands. Tom’s groan of completion soon come as well as he shot off inside of Bill; coating the insides of his perfect lover. Tom slowly pulled out of the exhausted Bill and collapsed next to him on the queen size bed. 

They laid there, catching their breath and smiling. “I almost wish there were audio sweeps so that someone other the G’s could complain about us fucking all the time.” Tom joked. 

“Yeah, but I guess you’re lucky Bushido got axed then because he’d probably hear me moaning and come crashing through the roof in black ops gear.” Bill teased back. 

“Eh,” Tom said, getting up in search of a wet rag to clean up with, “I could take him.”

Bill chuckled to himself as he watched Tom’s naked ass sway into the bathroom. Tom sure returned with a warm washcloth and proceeded to crawl onto the bed and flip Bill over onto his front. 

“Tomi what are you doing?” Bill asked as he was repositioned by his lover. Tom didn’t answer but continued to move Bill’s body so his ass was in the air. Tom took a moment to appreciate the sight before licking at Bill’s hole. 

“Look at you, all open and fucked out still from my cock.” Tom smirked as one of his fingers circled the abused hole, dipping in slowly and stroking the velvety walls. “So wet from me fucking you,” He pulled the figure out to find it glazed with cum. “filled with my spunk. And you love it. Don’t you?” 

Bill was a quivering mess; his breath shaky, his cheeks flushed, and even though he had just came he was already wanting more. “Please, Tomi….more.” Bill begged.

Tom dutifully obliged.  
______________________________________________________________________________

The morning mist was cool against the back of Tom’s neck and he wished he could remove the gas mask that was strapped to the lower half of his face. However the toxic fumes coming off the Hudson were enough to kill even a fiend and Tom didn’t want to think about what kind of parasites and germs were growing in the water. It was like the sewers all over again, only worse. 

“How come every time we come to the City, I have to walk through areas that would give me super gonorrhea-syphil-aids?” Tom whined as they trudged through the grime along the bank.

“How many times do we have to remind you that you’re a fiend and can’t get super gonorrhea-syphil-aids?” Georg pointed out as they came to a tunnel. 

“A tunnel?!” Tom exclaimed. “You guys never said anything about a tunnel.”

Gustav looked at Tom in mild surprise but mostly disbelief, “You know what Tom, I think you need to talk to someone about these irrational fears you’re experiencing. It’s just a tunnel.”

“Don’t patronize me Gus, and it’s not just a tunnel. Tunnels are full of germs, and sharp objects that could give your tetanus, and things that could attack you but you can’t see them because it’s a fucking tunnel and it’s dark!” Tom retaliated. The three other members of their fellowship paused for a moment before laughing. “It’s not funny!” Tom whined. 

“Look,” Bill smiled, cupping Tom’s face in his hands, “It’s just a tunnel and it goes straight to the service entrance in the basement of the mansion. And you are a fiend now and you are not gonna get an STD or hepatitis from a tunnel.”

“Unless you have sex with the tunnel that is.” Georg pointed out in the verge of laughter again. 

Tom glared at Georg but decided not to say anything and just follow the group as they made their way into the dark. 

Fiend eye sight allows for more light to enter the iris and the tunnel wasn’t as dark as Tom had expected. However his comrades insisted on teasing him as much as possible. 

“Watch out Tom, I think there’s a rat over there that’s giving you the eye.” Georg snickered.

Tom groaned and tried not to punch something, “I hate you guys.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The mansion was surprisingly silent as they entered through the servants quarters. “Georg and I are gonna handle security. You two are gonna handle Andi.” Gustav instructed unclipping his mask, “I would suggest storming the grand hall, the element of surprise should keep the other nobles from being able to react quick enough to do anything, if they even decide to do anything.

“They do seem to be pretty loyal to Bill.” Georg pointed out. “Maybe they’ll even help kill Andi.”

“We could only be so lucky.” Tom chuckled. Bill was silent, staring off into space. “Hey,” Tom bumped shoulders with Bill, “What’s up?”

Bill shook his head and forced a smile, “Nothing. Tom, you know I love you right?”

Tom laughed, “Of course.”

“You know that no matter what happens, I will always love you?” Bill reiterated.

Tom nodded, “Always. Bill what’s wrong?”

“Nothing?” Bill sighed, “I just have a really bad feeling about this.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

The group split, leaving Gustav and Georg to take out any security personal near the throne room. “You know Gus, I think Andi might have just killed all his security with Bushido because we haven’t seen a single person in over fifteen minutes let alone a guard.” Georg gripped, so bored that he had started stopping here at there to look at the art on the walls. “You know, I bet we could sell one of these paintings for a fortune.”

“Probably with the collection Bill had back in the day, I don‘t really know what Andi‘s taste for paintings are.” Gustav admitted before the fact that they were talking about art and not about trying to take out security, “Wait, Geo stop touching things. We’re on a mission.”

“A mission? Oh come on.” Georg whined, “Want me to prove it? Watch.“ Casually Georg went over to a decorative table against the wall and grabbed the vase atop it. Quite casually and with a grunt Georg threw the vase down the hallway, causing to shatter into a thousand tiny crystal pieces. “There see? No one’s come running to see what happened. There is absolutely no one here.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” An unknown voice came from down the hallway. 

Georg turned to look at Gustav, “Did you say something?”

“Nope,” Gustav chuckled as he pulled his gun, “I think it was him.”

“Who?” Georg asked, confused.

An extremely tall, handsome man walked out of the shadows wearing combat gear and a giant smile, “I think he was talking about me. Hey Gusti long time no see.”

“Gusti?” Georg asked now extremely perturbed. 

“Fuck you Padalecki!” Gustav said with a grin. 

Jared pulled out a gun similar to Gustav’s, “Wanna shoot at each other for old time sake?”

Gustav grinned, “Wouldn’t have it any other way.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom and Bill stormed into the throne room to come upon a gruesome site. The once magnificent grand hall, the place where lavish balls had taken place and where the great twisted throne of the king sate, was now a macabre mess. The sparkling granite floor was splattered with blood, a great lake of the crimson liquid pooling near the steps of the dais of the throne. Andi sat upon it, the limp and shaking body of his assistant Justin on his lap with Andi’s lips attached to his throat. Bill and Tom watched as the life left the boys eyes. “I just wanted somebody to love.” he whimpered with his last breath. 

The bodies of human girls and young men piled near Andi’s feet. Among their naked forms lay the corpses of the finely dressed nobles who had been invited to the grizzly social event. Andi had drained them dry as well.

“William, Tom, so good to see you again. Excuse me for the rudeness but I’m afraid we’ve just ran out food.” Andi chuckled madly as he tossed Justin‘s body aside. The power of the blood crackled around him like static electricity; making the air heavy and thick. His blood stains lips split his face into a twisted smile as he walked over the bodies that surrounded him, snapping necks and limbs under foot without a thought. “That is of course unless you want to be added to the menu.”

“This is sickening Andi!” Bill spat. “You used to be my friend, a good kid. Look at what you’ve become. What happened to you that made you this way?”

The laughter that Bill got in response was like nails on a chalkboard, “What I’ve become? Oh, you should know what I am, I’m you. Or perhaps I’m the you that you would have been.”

“I am nothing like you.” Bill growled in defense. 

Andi smiled, “No, I suppose you’re right… I’m stronger.”

Before Bill or Tom could react, Andi came at them; faster then a blink of an eye; and slammed his fist into Tom’s chest, sending him crashing into one of the giant mirrors that lined the room. A large shard of mirror falling down from the shattered mirror and slicing into his shoulder. The pain letting rip a horrific scream from Tom. 

“Tom!” Bill screamed only moments before receiving a kick to the back and forcing him to go sprawling across the floor. 

Again the laughter came, echoing off the gilded walls and arched ceiling. Bill had just enough time to get to his feet before another lighting fast hit brought him to the floor again. Andi stood above him for a moment before kicking Bill swiftly in the ribs. “You see Bill, this is what I’ve become. And you were right I used be your friend, or really I was more of your bitch.” The profanity was accented with another kick. “I mean, when you were King I was never anything more then the king’s friend, the simpering pretty boy who was just as rich as you, was better looking then you, and would have been a better leader then you. But no, even after you left me on the throne I was never good enough, I was never you.” Andi’s abuse of Bill continued mercilessly, Bill protecting himself as best as he could.

Mean while Tom lay on the marble floor shaking as he grabbed the shard of mirror in his shoulder. The sharp edges cut into his palms and burned as rivulets of blood travel down his arm. Grunting in pain, Tom pulled the mirror from his arm. His vision was growing fuzzy from the blood loss and his thoughts were scattered. Leaning against the wall, Tom managed to make it to his feet. 

“Andi!” Tom roared, the sound stopping another of Andi’s from landing mid-kick. 

Andi turned and looked at Tom with a surprised smile, “Look at you, I wasn’t expecting you to standing so quickly. Perhaps we should remedy that.” 

He shot toward Tom at a frightening speed but this time Tom was prepared, the shard of mirror still clasps tightly in is bloody hands and as Andi pulled back for a punch Tom shot forward, slamming into Andi and slicing open Andi’s side. It wasn’t a lethal wound but Tom had no doubt that it hurt like a bitch. 

“Mother Fucker!” Andi screamed, grabbing Tom by the shirt and tossing him across the room to where Bill lay in a crumpled mess. 

“Tom?” Bill wheezed, reaching for his lover. 

Tom crawled the short distance to Bill, his breathing hard and short as his shoulder continued to bleed. “I’m right here, Bill.”

“Tom, I don’t think we can win this fight.” Bill whispered, his hand reaching up to touch Tom’s wound. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s alright.” Tom coughed with a forced smile before leaning in to kiss Bill. “You know that I love you, right; that no matter what, I’ll always love you?”

“Of course.” Bill nodded.

Tom licked his lips and kissed Bill one more time, “Don’t forget that okay?” 

Bill didn’t have enough time to reply before Tom was back on his feet and rushing toward Andi, who had managed to recover from the gash to his side and was stalking towards them. Bill watched in horror as Andi simply blocked Tom’s attack and kicked Tom squarely in the chest, sending his flying into the far corner. Bill got to his feet, ready to rush to Tom’s side but Andi was already by his own, one of his hands wrapped around Bill neck.

“Can you hear it?” Andi whispered into Bill’s ear. “Can you hear his heart beat? Listen to it slowing down. Listen to him die.” Bill had always been able to hear Tom’s heart beat. It had always been a thrumming in the back of his mind like ambient noise and while Tom had been a human it had driven him half way crazy at times. But now, as it slowed and then stopped, Bill couldn’t stand how quiet it was. There was gun fire upstairs, but after a few seconds, that went silent too. 

“And that would be my security killing the other two of your pathetic friends. You know,” Andi sneered, his claws around Bill’s throat, “I always thought that this would be difficult for me. But look at you, behold, the lost prince of the night, William my once dear friend, my maker; struggling for breath at my hands.”

A horrific moment passed, time almost standing still as Bill gasped for breath. The whole room pulsed with the awfulness of what was about to take place. Bill’s eyes flickered over to the corner where Tom’s body had been thrown. He had lost Tom once, or thought he had, but this time was so much worse. Perhaps it was the fact that this time, he could see Tom’s body; sprawled across the black marble floor, pale cheeks streaked with blood. 

A coldness began to seep into Bill, hate and despair bubbling up in his heart, and the will to keep living was beginning to fade. A life without Tom, without love, wasn’t really a life at all. Black dots were starting to form in his vision and tears clouded them further.

Andi was talking again and Bill toiled to make out the words, “You know what surprises me the most about this? I always thought that I would be conflicted about killing you when it finally happened. But you know what? I don’t feel anything at all. You’re just another weakling that I’ll crush beneath my heel and there’s no one to stop me.”

“That’s where you’re wrong Andi!” Tom whispered in the villain’s ear, “I can stop you.” Before Andi could so much as recognize his attacker, Tom’s fangs extended and sank into Andi’s throat.

A great and terrible roar thundered from Andi’s mouth, echoing in the massive hall as he thrashed trying to pry Tom off him. But Tom held strong, drinking in every drop that slipped past his lips. It took only moment before Andi’s struggling grew weaker and his body grew cold like a corpse. 

Bill watched in grotesques fascination as Andi’s flesh turned gray and shriveled. He watched as the light left the piercing blue eyes and darkened to black glassy orbs. It was almost frightening as Andi’s last drop left his body and it fell to the floor. 

Tom stood above it, his skin vibrant and flushed with the powerful blood he had taken from the King. Electricity ran through Tom’s veins, the power of Andi’s blood rushing through his system, making him stronger, faster, and more deadly then before. 

Bill stood slowly, his legs barely able to support him, and walked over to his lover. Tom took in a shaky breath as Bill slid into his arms, fitting perfectly against him. Their foreheads rested against one another and even as tears trickled from their eyes, a sense of relief was already washing over them. 

A smile spread across Bill’s lips and whispered, his mouth brushing Tom’s as he spoke, “Long live the King.” Tom quickly closed the distance, capturing Bill’s lips in a breathtaking kiss.  
______________________________________________________________________________

A few weeks later:

“I wish you would just try the Armani dress pants on. I mean, they’re tailored for you, they’ll fit like a glove.” Bill offered in persuasion.

Tom just chuckled softly, “Which is exactly why I’m not wearing them. The only person getting a good look at my ass is you.”

“But Tomi…” Bill whined as he helped Tom into his jacket.

“No means no Bill, just like sex. Don’t make me go all by order of the king on you.” Tom stated giving Bill a slow sweet kiss in hope Bill will forget about not getting what he wanted.

They part and smile at one another, stealing a few more quick pecks before Bill gets back to work primping his lover. The silence last for about thirty seconds before Bill can’t stand it and has to talk.

“So how did you survive in the throne room?” Bill asked as he smoothed out the bumps in Tom’s suit jacket. “I mean, I couldn’t hear your heart beat. You weren’t breathing.”

It was a somber question and Tom fiddled with his lip ring for a few moments before replying, “Have you ever seen Queen of the Damned?”

“Yeah, a long time ago. Why?” Bill answered, thoroughly confused.

“Remember that scene near the end where Lastat pretends to be Akasha’s prince until he can make his move and drain her, well it was basically the same principal. After I was hit I lowered my heart rate using breathing techniques until it was too low to hear and waited for Andi to start his monologue.” Tom explained. “Also slowly my heart rate slowed the blood loss.”

Bill blinked, “His monologue?”

“Yeah,” Tom answered, “every evil villain always has a monologue before they kill their arch nemesis, they’re totally predictable and Andi was no different.” 

“Why am I not surprised that you based your entire attack strategy off B movies?” Bill pondered as he lint rolled Tom once more. 

Tom shrugged, “Because I’m awesome.”

“You sure are.” Bill replied with a tiny bit of sarcasm, “Now get out there, It’s kind of your big day and everyone’s very excited to usher in the new era of fiend kind.”  
______________________________________________________________________________

“Wait, wait, wait, you guys went to high school together before Gustav got his scholarship to ours?” Georg stammered, sloshing his drink on his shoes. 

Jared smiled and slapped Gustav on the back, “Yep, we did more that together too, Gus popped my cherry.” Georg and Gustav sputtered, their beers spraying everywhere. “But don’t worry Geo, I got my own man now. I wonder where he went off to.”

“Looking for me?” Another devastatingly gorgeous man walked up next to the tall man, wrapping an arm around Jared’s waist. “The name’s Jensen, Jensen Ackles. I’m the Ring Master.”

“The ring master of what?” Georg asked but was shushed by the sound of trumpets. The throne room had been restored to its’ former glory along with the rest of the mansion. On the dais, Bill stood with Tom kneeling before him. 

“Thomas Trumper, do you solemnly swear to lead our people as fair and just ruler, who will bring peace and prosperity to our kind?” Bill asked after the crowd has hushed. 

“I swear.”

“And do you swear that you will not abuse this office as some have done before you?”

“I swear.” 

Bill smiled and helped Tom to his feet, “Then by the power invested in me as once King William Kaulitz, I name you King of the Fiends.” The crowd erupted in cheers, a new era had dawned, and as the noise grew around them, Tom had Bill heard only their own beating hearts as they shared a great and powerful kiss.  
______________________________________________________________________________

Tom looked out from the Brooklyn bridge as he watched the sun set. He had finally managed to rid himself of his fear of bridges after Bill reminded him he was a fiend now and wouldn’t need to worry about getting attacked. The sour wind snaked across the back of his neck, cooling the sweat there. 

“So how does it feel to be King of the Fiends?” Bill smirked up at him from between his arms.

Tom shook his head and buried his nose into Bill‘s neck before setting his chin on Bill‘s shoulder, “I don’t really know. It’s a lot of logistics and negotiating right now. I want to change things, make drinking Snythe the new craze I guess.”

“Good luck.” Bill offered with a kiss.

Tom smiled happily into the kiss before pulling away and moving a stray piece of hair from Bill’s cheek, “What was it like when you were King?” 

Bill thought for a long moment, but sighed, “When I was King I was a lot like Andi. I was cruel and selfish. The only reason I was elected was because I knew how to throw one hell of a party and I was rich. Looking back I don‘t think I really made any decisions for our people. Everything was about me and having fun.”

“Do you miss it?” Tom pondered

“Hell no. I’m a selfish person. Even now, when I’m trying to be a better person, I’m still very selfish and I still would be a selfish King. You on the other hand are much more qualified for the job.” Bill admitted.

Tom raised an eyebrow, “Why do you say that?”

“Hmm, let’s see.” Bill pretended to think, “You spent most of your life training to avenge your dead friend. You gave up school for it. That‘s dedication.” 

Tom shrugged “I guess but it still didn’t prepare me for this.”

“What do you mean?” Bill asked.

Tom looked out at the sunset. “It’s different. I think it’s grasping the mental idea of it all that I’m struggling with the most. I mean, I killed fiends for so long and to do it I had to convince myself that they were evil and deserved to die. And now I’m one of them.” Bill sighed and nodded in a way Tom knew was caused by regret. Chuckling softly, Tom kissed Bill’s temple and whispered in his ear, “But I’m glad you did it. Because other wise, I wouldn’t get to spend the rest of a very long time being loved by you.”

The comment made Bill smile brightly and he pulled Tom’s arms tighter around him. “Yeah, right, you mean being saved by me.” 

“Are you kidding me? You saved my ass that one time, like six months ago.” Tom pointed out defensively.

“Has it really only been that long? God it feels like it’s been a lifetime since then. It doesn’t matter though, I still saved your butt which means you owe me.” Bill stated.

Tom played with his lip ring, “Well how about I make it up to you by letting you tie me up and gag me again like that day in the catacombs. You weren’t in the mood to play pretend last time. As long as it’s somewhere clean. I don’t think I can deal with another tour through the sewers.”

Bill chuckled softly and whispered in Tom’s ear, “Well I guess we’ll just have to break in the brand new tent I got you as a coronation gift. It’s hermetically sealed, just like I promised.”

Tom grinned from ear to ear and wrapped Bill up in a tight embrace. “You’re amazing you know that?”

“I know.” Bill replied, already walking back toward his motorcycle. “Now come on your highness, I want to have you at least twice before dinner.”

Tom smirk, snapping his gas mask into place and running to catch up with his lover. “Your wish is my command.” It was a dangerous world out there, filled with monsters. But with Bill by his side, Tom was pretty sure he could survive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So tell me what you think!


End file.
